iPod iTMS licensing fees

[mrgreen4242]

Anyone know the specifics of how the iTMS pays RIAA members their "cut" of sales? Specifically I am wondering if they get a fixed amount per year/quarter/whatever so Apple can have their library available (this is how large movie rental business work, for example), or do they get a certain amount per song downloaded?

I wonder because I recently checked to see if anything I had downloaded from iTMS lately was from an RIAA member and, amazingly enough, almost none of it was. None of my current favorite stuff, nor anything that I am likely to get in the future is from an RIAA member, which made me kinda happy.

Now I'd like to know if buying from the iTMS supports the RIAA regardless via a fixed payment system or if buying non-RIAA songs effective keeps any of my cash going to them.

 

[Ugg]

Anyone know the specifics of how the iTMS pays RIAA members their "cut" of sales? Specifically I am wondering if they get a fixed amount per year/quarter/whatever so Apple can have their library available (this is how large movie rental business work, for example), or do they get a certain amount per song downloaded?

I wonder because I recently checked to see if anything I had downloaded from iTMS lately was from an RIAA member and, amazingly enough, almost none of it was. None of my current favorite stuff, nor anything that I am likely to get in the future is from an RIAA member, which made me kinda happy.

Now I'd like to know if buying from the iTMS supports the RIAA regardless via a fixed payment system or if buying non-RIAA songs effective keeps any of my cash going to them.

Apple "buys" the music from the musician/music company/etc and for every song sold Apple pays them ~92%. The companies, musicians then distribute it accordingly. iTunes doesn't have the same business model as the subscription services do.