iPod iTMS Subscription Service - Would You?

[J@ffa]

If, as rumour has it, iTunes 5 or something similar is released tomorrow with an iTunes music store subscription service, would you pay? Personally, I find £0.79 a song a little steep, but I'd gladly up to about £8 a month to be able to download as much as I wanted. An even cooler addition to this would be the option to then purchase songs I really liked afterwards at a discounted price.

Though, do subscription services usually allow the burning to CD of what are I guess rented tracks? If not that'd suck a little, but I'd probably still go for it if just for my iPod...

 

[Lacero]

No. But if it means total digital music domination, then sure.

 

[J@ffa]

No. But if it means total digital music domination, then sure.

Why no, though? Do you prefer the ownership of the music, or is it something else?

 

[devilot]

If I'm mistaken someone can correct me, but I thought the way these subscription methods of digital music meant that as soon as the subscription is up-- you can no longer have the music, period. It's essentially like having the radio at your leisure-- you pick which songs you want to hear when, but at the end of the day, you don't get to keep any of them for the future.

 

[yellow]

Hell no. I own, I don't rent.

 

[iMeowbot]

Though, do subscription services usually allow the burning to CD of what are I guess rented tracks? If not that'd suck a little, but I'd probably still go for it if just for my iPod...

Nope, they expect you to buy the track in addition to the subscription (usual is to discount it a tiny bit, 79¢).

 

[ColoJohnBoy]

Depending on the sort of service they provided, I would consider it. I personally would enjoy something along the lines of "unlimited refills" - A playlist of 50 tracks or so that iTunes would give you on demand based on your songs already in iTunes/iPod, which are most played, highest rated, etc. The idea being an easy way to try new music (Well, new to you) without spending a dollar or ten and possibly not liking it. After hearing the playlist, you could then go back and purchase the songs you wish to keep and refill the playlist. The only caveat is the songs would have to be HEAVILY discounted - $0.25 - $0.50, something along those lines.

 

[Project]

It has the potential to CRUSH the demand for P2P services offering MP3s anyway..

£5-8 monthly for legally being able to fill up my iPod with whatever I want is very tempting.

Buying individual tracks at 79p, isnt...

 

[superfunkomatic]

no thanx. renting means at the end of the year if you end your subscription you don't have any music left, nor will it work on a portable device.

i prefer to own the music, it's my collection. now that i can preview the albums in the music store there are far less surprises when i buy a whole album.

 

[wordmunger]

I would consider subscribing, but only on these terms:

Standard subscription deal, $10/month, with unlimited downloads from the iTMS.

Playable on my existing iPod shuffle.

10 free songs of my choosing per month, which I get to keep forever.

 

[Project]

no thanx. renting means at the end of the year if you end your subscription you don't have any music left, nor will it work on a portable device.

i prefer to own the music, it's my collection. now that i can preview the albums in the music store there are far less surprises when i buy a whole album.

Thats the thing - you WOULD be able to play the tracks on an iPod...

 

[jonat8]

YES I would definately subscribe. Okay I like owning music but I also love discovering new music and I used to really like subscribing to the Napster service - what I hated is that I couldn't copy music to my iPod. Of course hopefully an Apple solution would allow this, which would make it pretty perfect.

 

[Apmonia]

I would do it. For a while I had XM radio and it had a subscription service however, I had no choice over the music I was paying for. That's why I would try the subscription service, at least I would have the power to choose the songs I want to listen to and not have a crappy DJ telling me what I can.

Apmonia

 

[Project]

Also... I cant be the only one who feels that downloading a track from iTMS doesnt equate to "owning" the track. You dont have the sleevenotes, jewel case etc. I see no difference in the mentality of buying from the store and just subscribing. Thats why I very rarely use the thing... its pretty expensive. For the same price I can buy the real album and just rip the thing.

Subscription will change all that though... and it could be a BIG money spinner for Apple. Think about it - $10 regularly a month from far more people than currently use the iTMS.

I feel this may even be the special announcement today... Singular and O2 in the UK could have contract packages that include subscription to iTMS for unlimited music on the phone... thats pretty big... and as I said... a potential HUGE money spinner for Apple...

 

[andiwm2003]

as long as itunes doesn't have all songs and all remixes a subscription makes no sense. the us itunes covers less than half of the european techno and house stuff. the songs they have are usually delayed by weeks. and for ~100 bucks a year or more i don't see a point. i'm more likely to subscribe to satellite radio.......