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Apple Working with U2 on New Music Format to Boost Digital Music Sales
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This sounds about right but I don't think "format" is the right terminology. Wouldn't it just be a different wrapper?
I've seen the lyrics section of music files in iTunes but no one seems to use it. With whatever the music service is that tells you what song you're listening to just by listening to one line it doesn't sound all that hard to incorporate that technology into individual devices.
My guess is that the aim of developing this new format is to take the digital album/song buying experience closer to one you get, or used to get, when you bought an actual CD or LP. A some sort of fully realized virtual CD/LP album experience that is optimized for all the usual devices (iPhones, iPads, Macs/PCs) with some added audio visual features made possible by current technology. The efforts made so far in this area (the PDF covers) are very, very modest.
We've sort of hit the end of music formats. The final step is lossless audio, but that's it. The age of downloading and streaming is the end. There will be no other new way to get music unless we have some way of transmitting radio waves to the brain or something. If the entire world buys all of the Beatles music in lossless format, Apple Music would stop making music sales. The only way to make money is to make new music that's good or pay monthly to listen to whatever you want. The streaming business has given us a way to continue to sell music and allow people to listen to artists that aren't in the spotlight without having to sacrifice .99 cents to give a listen.
how great would it be if Apple started their own record label and focused only on indie/unsigned artists - like a iWork suite of apps and networks, but for musicians, artists, managers and promoters, etc.
one can dream...
With supply exceeding demand, we continue to see diminishing returns for artists, same as when music was free torrent downloads before the iTunes era. Hopefully, Apple is coming up with a new system to assist artists with making a living beyond concerts.
I'm betting this is a generational thing. Those of us who were the right age for Napster and the like were tempted away to buying music on iTunes. Kids these days are more interested in streaming and meanwhile as folks get older they like less of the new music coming out so they're buying less. People in their late 20s and 30s are buying less music on iTunes, and people in their teens and early 20s are wanting to stream (why, I'll never understand).
Anyway, I wouldn't mind lossless files from Apple, though I imagine I'll have to start downconverting to fit my music on my iPhone. I don't think that the labels will go for lossless, though. If they finally sell you a digital lossless format, they'll never be able to sell you those tracks ever again.
Anyway, I wouldn't mind lossless files from Apple, though I imagine I'll have to start downconverting to fit my music on my iPhone. I don't think that the labels will go for lossless, though. If they finally sell you a digital lossless format, they'll never be able to sell you those tracks ever again.
I reckon Apple must pay MR to post these articles, so they can draw upon the free "advice" from all the "experts" who draw from their vast experience in every known discipline Apple employs, before commenting.
Ah - no - hang on... my mistake - Apple are apparently pretty well sorted for expertise and tactical strategies, but they thank you for your kind gesture, and have already rewarded you with a free album as a token of thanks.
If you all know better than Apple, how come you're not busy running Apple? Keep at it, one day someone will care... honest.
Ah - no - hang on... my mistake - Apple are apparently pretty well sorted for expertise and tactical strategies, but they thank you for your kind gesture, and have already rewarded you with a free album as a token of thanks.
If you all know better than Apple, how come you're not busy running Apple? Keep at it, one day someone will care... honest.
My guess is it will be like Dolby Atmos where each instrument is positioned in a 3D space and works perfectly with any speaker setup to make it sound like you right in the concert.
My thoughts on some possibilities:
24-bit but still compressed to 256kbps AAC - not really interested, that would just be silly.
Lossless ALAC, true CD quality - yes please, I would buy more music on iTunes.
320kbps AAC - a welcome improvement, but a bit 'meh'.
My ideal option would be for lossless ALAC with hi-res album art and multi-track releases (where you can mute/solo individual parts of the music, like vocals, bass-line, drums etc). I'd be all over that. Hugely unlikely!
I'm not very optimistic it won't just be marketing fluff that doesn't really improve the music at all (it's 2014 and we still only have 256kbps AAC files), but I'd love to proved wrong.
24-bit but still compressed to 256kbps AAC - not really interested, that would just be silly.
Lossless ALAC, true CD quality - yes please, I would buy more music on iTunes.
320kbps AAC - a welcome improvement, but a bit 'meh'.
My ideal option would be for lossless ALAC with hi-res album art and multi-track releases (where you can mute/solo individual parts of the music, like vocals, bass-line, drums etc). I'd be all over that. Hugely unlikely!
I'm not very optimistic it won't just be marketing fluff that doesn't really improve the music at all (it's 2014 and we still only have 256kbps AAC files), but I'd love to proved wrong.
Hilarious statement. U2 was around long before anyone ever heard of the Black Eyed Peas or Lady Gaga, both of whom will be answers to trivia questions in 10 years. Maybe 5.
The music business is a business. Most all businesses are in the game to make money. It costs a fortune to launch a new career for an artist, and most are a loosing proposition. As an example, look at the small number of American Idol and other winners have made it after hundreds of millions spent on their promotions. Apple is in the music distribution business, not career making business. You can be sure that a lot of people signed up for iTunes to get the free U2 album.
Streaming is the answer, not 'selling' stuff
As much as I like U2 (more so years ago than now), the attempt to 'boost sales' is a misguided one. Once Spotify came around, out went all my CDs. I realized right then and there that I didn't need to 'own' a tangible example of the music to enjoy it. I figured that streaming through Spotify would be a win-win for me (less clutter, and I am able to discover artists that I'd never otherwise listen to) and for the artists (pennies from everyone trumps $10 from a few).
As much as I like U2 (more so years ago than now), the attempt to 'boost sales' is a misguided one. Once Spotify came around, out went all my CDs. I realized right then and there that I didn't need to 'own' a tangible example of the music to enjoy it. I figured that streaming through Spotify would be a win-win for me (less clutter, and I am able to discover artists that I'd never otherwise listen to) and for the artists (pennies from everyone trumps $10 from a few).
Well, iTunes isn't offering the CD-quality options. I would gladly pay the extra 20 cents or whatever it was with iTunes Plus to get the ALAC (lossless) versions of the tunes on the Store... the fact that they don't offer them means the only stuff I buy on iTunes are with gift cards from Christmas or from work.
If Apple doesn't bring it, it probably won't even catch on, good luck with that.
They did? I guess I missed that downward trend chart. And here I've been thinking that iTunes sales were near an all time high.