Apple Announces 25 Billion Songs Sold in iTunes Music Store

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that the iTunes Store has reached a new milestone, passing 25 billion songs downloaded. Interestingly, Apple also announced that it has awarded a EUR10,000 iTunes Gift Card to the user who downloaded the milestone song even though the company did not run a high-profile promotion for the contest as it has for past music and app milestones.

The 25 billionth song, "Monkey Drums" (Goksel Vancin Remix) by Chase Buch, was purchased by Phillip Lüpke from Germany. As the downloader of the 25 billionth song, Phillip will receive a EUR10,000 iTunes® Gift Card.

"We are grateful to our users whose passion for music over the past 10 years has made iTunes the number one music retailer in the world," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "Averaging over 15,000 songs downloaded per minute, the iTunes Store connects music fans with their favorite artists, including global sensations like Adele and Coldplay and new artists like The Lumineers, on a scale we never imagined possible."

Apple notes that the iTunes Store now offers over 26 million songs and is available in 119 countries after December's expansion to 56 new countries.

Article Link: Apple Announces 25 Billion Songs Sold in iTunes Music Store

[kirky29]

Since using Spotify, I haven't bought music from iTunes in ages... maybe not even one song in the last year.. Still an impressive number though!

[ouimetnick]

One morning an Apple engineer was checking on iTunes stats. He noticed the songs downloaded was rapidly approaching 25 Billion. He gave his boss a call. Hey Eddy he said. We are approaching 25 billion songs downloaded. Wow! Eddy remarked. He was pretty excited and happy. He was just promoted and got a pay raise. "I'll let Tim and Phil know" Eddy said as he hung up the phone.

Tim and Phil were at the Apple cafeteria waiting in line for their sushi breakfast when all of a sudden Tim's phone started blazing out Green Day's new song, Fell for you. Phil, startled asked what that was. Tim exclaimed it is his ringtone that goes off only when Eddy calls. Tim answered and annoyed, asked Eddy "What now"? Tim had only had 3 hours of sleep from coming back from China. We are only minutes away from 25 billion downloads Eddy said excitedly! Thats great! Tim replied. This news put a smile on Tim's face knowing that they are reaching another milestone. I'll call you back when the 25 billionth song is downlo…We NEED a prize to give the guy Tim interrupted. Right said Eddy. We can just do a gift card like we have done okay? Thats good exclaimed Tim.

About 30 minutes later, the phone went off again. Tim knew what he was about to hear.
A guy from Germany downloaded a song called "Monkey Drums"… Thats the 25 billionth song. Tim slightly saddened mentioned that he wished it was a Green Day song or a Lady Gaga song that was the 25 billionth downloaded.

Tim sighed "Well, send the info to the PR department".
Will do Eddy said with enthusiasm.

Eddy happily hung up and called PR. We got 25 billion sings downloaded. It was Phillip Lüpke from Germany who has a fetish for Monkeys. He downloaded Monkey Drums. Issue a press release immediately. We are sending him EUR10,000 iTunes Card. He should be set for life on iTunes downloads. He said happily.

A PR was issued, and thus MacRumors reported on it.
__________________

25 Billion. Wow. The App Store is still climbing faster though.

[Aluminum213]

What's the % of music sales that iTunes takes up?

[charlieegan3]

Originally Posted by kirky29

Since using Spotify, I haven't bought music from iTunes in ages... maybe not even one song in the last year.. Still an impressive number though!

I was thinking I'd never have to buy a song on iTunes again but then there was this:

[Peace]

Whatever happened to the contests ?

[charlieegan3]

Originally Posted by ouimetnick

25 Billion. Wow. The App Store is still climbing faster though.

Less easy for people to pirate apps I guess.

[vmachiel]

Awesome that they keep increasing the number of available songs. I still like to own them

[iPusch]

Am I the only one who actually looked for the song on iTunes^^
WOW this song is sick thanks Phillip luv it

Haha okay, I facebooked him & he looks like a doc^^
OBVIOUSLY o.O but there are multiple Lüpkes

[iOrbit]

i want to be the mile stone song buyer, seriously.

[Chuck-Norris]

Originally Posted by iOrbit

i want to be the mile stone song buyer, seriously.

seriously unlikely

[MacRumorUser]

Ok so that explains my credit card bill !!!




____ edit

Though as a new user to Spotify here in Ireland (only launched a few weeks back here) I can certainly see myself using that service more than iTunes going forward. Apple needs to release it's similar style service soon.

I do love iTunes match though, although I'm dangerously close to going over the 25,000 song limit.

[FSMBP]

Originally Posted by charlieegan3

Less easy for people to pirate apps I guess.

Or you know, there are free apps as opposed to paying per song.

[SmileyBlast!]

Phillip Lüpke is lucky. I wonder what other good things have happened to him lately?

[Jugney]

I was curious when their last milestone was, to see the rate of purchases on the iTunes store...a Google search revealed they announced 20 billion back in September.

That means it took them 11 years to sell the first 20 billion. And 5 months to sell a quarter again of that.

I would have thought it was slowing with Spotify and other services on the rise. But the above figures mean music purchases on iTunes are accelerating.

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by Peace

Whatever happened to the contests ?

Clearly they didn't feel that they needed some published contest to get folks to download music. After all, they got to this level without it.

Apps, books and perhaps movies/TV shows might need that kind of push. But not music

[scharf10]

I wonder how they calculate/choose exactly what song is purchased as the 25th billionth.

Surely there are so many songs being purchased at any one time, there is no time between clicks/downloads. Must just be loaded on to a big list.

That's one massive Numbers spreadsheet with all of the purchase history.

[JarScott]

Originally Posted by kirky29

Since using Spotify, I haven't bought music from iTunes in ages... maybe not even one song in the last year.. Still an impressive number though!

I used to pay for Spotify but I soon realised I wasn't using £10 worth of songs each month to make it worth paying for. So I now only buy songs from iTunes/Amazon MP3 which I know I will listen to a lot.

[AustinIllini]

Originally Posted by kirky29

Since using Spotify, I haven't bought music from iTunes in ages... maybe not even one song in the last year.. Still an impressive number though!

Originally Posted by charlieegan3

I was thinking I'd never have to buy a song on iTunes again but then there was this:

There is a boatload of great music you can't get on Spotify. I don't do a ton of purchasing, but it most certainly has its place.

[nburwell]

Originally Posted by kirky29

Since using Spotify, I haven't bought music from iTunes in ages... maybe not even one song in the last year.. Still an impressive number though!

While I haven't entirely stopped purchasing music from iTunes since I started my subscription with Rdio, I have noticed that I purchased less music from iTunes/Amazon because of it.

But nonetheless, still impressive.

[r2shyyou]

Originally Posted by charlituna

Clearly they didn't feel that they needed some published contest to get folks to download music. After all, they got to this level without it.

Apps, books and perhaps movies/TV shows might need that kind of push. But not music

Totally!...except for when they did have contests for music, as this article points out:

Originally Posted by MacRumors

...even though the company did not run a high-profile promotion for the contest as it has for past music and app milestones.

1 Billion Song Contest: http://www.macrumors.com/2006/02/07/...-song-contest/
10 Billion Song Contest: http://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/11/...ngs-promotion/

[Imory]

Originally Posted by charlieegan3

I was thinking I'd never have to buy a song on iTunes again but then there was this:

Hmm, that's strange. Got any ideas of why they removed the ability to purchase songs?

[ihateilove]

Yeah, that's 25 billion reasons why Apple is finished as a company (not). Reading this article today amused me, with that in mind. Why Apple is doomed (also not)

[Fresh Pie]

Would somebody mind posting a short narrative speculating about how Apple's executives decided to release this story?

Edit: ouimetnick already addressed this

[bobr1952]

Originally Posted by kirky29

Since using Spotify, I haven't bought music from iTunes in ages... maybe not even one song in the last year.. Still an impressive number though!

I use MOG and for the most part do the same--especially when it comes to iTunes. But since I don't own the music and with MOG, I would have to download all the music if I had to restore my phone--I like to save music--I do look pretty much every day on Amazon to see what is on sale. I still like to own music and have it to keep permanently--so I look for their $5 and under specials and do buy those that I want. Once in awhile I'll get something from iTunes but they don't usually have many good deals.

I'm glad iTunes is doing well though and glad that just about every major recording act is now in the iTunes store.