NO. ONE. BUYS. MUSIC. ANYMORE.
The very tiny fraction of people who do are likely not contributing enough $$$ to warrant running and maintaining iTunes - and they are quite obviously working towards sunsetting iTunes (not necessarily music purchases).
You're referencing a business model 20 years old - the music industry is all about streams now. Move purchases into the Music App - it's where they go anyway.
The only real item left in iTunes Apple hasn't solved is ring tones - the thing they make as hard as possible for the average person to get without buying on an iPhone. Even that - not many people buying them.