If You Cant Beat Them...

Apple to the Rescue??


The days of the $0.99-for-everything iTunes store are over. Of course, when Apple introduced the variable pricing feature into the iTunes store, they touted it as a way to get lower-priced songs — as low as $0.69, in fact. But what’s actually happened is the opposite. Thanks to the death of the album (something we can thank iTunes and other music downloading services for), labels are trying to squeeze as many dollars as possible out of the single song hits that get downloaded over and over again.

But i dont get it. If record lables are in competition with digital downloads, why would they turn over the fight just to get a penny? They are giving apple and other companies more and more power. But, the saying does go, "if you cant beat them, join them!"  Record lables are charging more for itunes to carry the same $0.99 for now $1.29. The sale of physical CD's have taken a major hit over the years and because ditgial sales has hit a major high, record lables had to jump on the band wagon.

Instead of selling CD's for $20, people are starting to download songs so they can have access to the songs whenever they want. Also, becuase the sales of apple products such as the ipod and iphone, itunes has taken over.

A Word From A  Fan:
           To be fair though, subscriptions will not be the service or idea to "rescue the industry from the decline of the CD". It may help, but it's not their savior. While what may be could come in a digital form, and let's not forget the rise in vinyl sales in the past two years, I think the real answer and the more immediate one for their struggle is -- BETTER QUALITY MUSIC. You don't support something if you don't truly like it (in this case pirating vs purchasing).