iTMS starting to annoy me!

[johnnyjibbs]

If they're not careful, they are going to lose their advantage and disappear up their own backsides!

I was always under the impression that all songs would be 79p (or $99 or €0.99, etc) and Apple has stood firm on this. But I also thought that only songs that were 7 minutes long or longer were allowed to be "album only".

I don't buy iTMS albums. Why would I pay £7.99 or £8.99 for a load of restricted 128kbps AAC files when I can get the actual physical CD for £8.99 in 2 days with free delivery from places like Play.com (no restrictions, original quality, plus you get the physical product and the album booklet, etc). I only buy iTMS individual songs, where there's a song I want but don't want to pay £3.99 for a CD single or buy an album I don't want to get that one song.

However, an increasing number of tracks on the iTunes store are now "album only", and not necessarily long songs. I could understand Pink Floyd not wanted to sell Dogs (23 minutes) or Echoes (23 minutes) for 79p each, hence the 7 minute rule.

But I don't want to buy a whole iTMS album just to get one song either. That's the old-fangled way - I might as well just start using the shops again and buy that album I don't want for a sale price just to get the song. And so iTunes is losing its advantage.

I highlight two specific recent examples that are the reason for this ranting post. Firstly, I want Misunderstood by Robbie Williams. It's on his greatest hits album and it's an "album only" song on iTMS. I own all the albums and have all the other songs, so I don't want to pay £7.99 for those songs again in good old protected AAC. But I don't have a choice. So I think I'll try and look for it on the internet for free instead.

The other one is from Brian Wilson's Smile album. The iTMS album includes a bonus track - Heroes and Villains Instrumental - at the end of the album that is "album only". I've just bought the physical version for the same price as the iTMS album - £8.99. But it doesn't include this wonderful song at the end. Again, there appears to be no other way of legally getting hold of it. So I'm annoyed and I'm certainly not buying the album again just to get that 4 minute song. Maybe the music companies are to blame again, but I'm tired of this happening all over again.

And what also sucks is that us Mac users have no alternative download store!

Sorry for the rant, but anyone else got similar opinions?

 

[gwuMACaddict]

maybe the brian wilson song is some sort of itunes exclusive on the web or soemthing?

i still prefer vinyl and cd albums to iTMS, i like have the actual product.

 

[Loge]

That sucks! Sounds similar to the old practice of launching a physical CD, then when sales start to drop, rereleasing it again with a few extras, so that the keen fans have to buy a second copy in order to get the new material. Apple really should stand up to this sort of nonsense.

 

[zim]

I feel your pain, my wife desperately wants Sarah McLachlan's When She Loved Me, on the Toy Story soundtrack but you have to buy the whole album. Even though the album price is less then the physical CD, she does not want the whole thing.

The issue here is not apple, it is the labels and you should be directing your frustration towards the labels, not Apple. Apple does not decide what songs will be album only, at least this is how it has been explained to me. I have complained to Apple regarding song selections that are album only, the concept does not make me want to buy the album because the concept of freedom to buy is lost. My suggestion would be to send Apple a comment and they also try and contact the artist label and express your disgust with their decision.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

(cue booing audience sound effect)

Apple should be more strict in enforcing their own 7-minute rule. Things like this only put people like you off from using the iTMS.

 

[Loge]

And while we're moaning - partial albums ! See for example Vanessa Carlton Harmonium (in UK store). It seems to have all the tracks, but as it's only available as a partial album, you have to pay more than £7.99 if you want the whole thing. (Slight redeeming feature, it is on iTMS ahead of UK release).