iTunes is Number 2 Music Retailer in U.S.

[cxny]

Congrats Apple!

iTunes is my all time favorite app - I can't believe that Wally is still ahead of you but it can't be for much longer. Remember the Long Tail effect: iTunes = 3.5 Million choices a typical Wally = maybe a couple of thousand? People Like Choice!

 

[jpine]

I absolutely agree with you. I refuse to go there unless I have to buy something in the middle of the night and there's nothing else open. I'm wondering if they are going to try more unethical tactics to get Apple of their tail. Remember when they threatened the movie studios to stop selling their DVD's if they signed up with the iTunes store? Any company with business practices like that deserves to rot in retail hell.

Not to mention turning a blind eye to 3rd world child labor, etc.

 

[coolfactor]

I, like obviously many others, love iTunes. Love the selection, convenience. Of course, I upgraded all of the music I can to iTunes Plus when available. But the majority of the music I buy from iTunes locks me further into iPods, we own three plus an Apple TV.

Question for you --- name one competing device to the iPod or Apple TV that you would buy if that perceived lock-in didn't exist? I say you'd still be buying the Apple products. You do, because they satisfy your needs just right.

 

[ideapower]

Considering Wal-Mart's MP3 downloads are not Mac-compatible, iTunes is the #1 music retailer on the Mac OS!

Walmart also sells these round things in square boxes called CDs, which are still Mac-compatible at last check.

I think you're missing what this story is about. Apple is now the #2 MUSIC RETAILER - not just digital music, but music - period.

 

[MacTheSpoon]

Wow. Very impressive! I never expected this back when iTMS debuted... I thought it would be successful, but this is just amazing.

 

[ideapower]

Question for you --- name one competing device to the iPod or Apple TV that you would buy if that perceived lock-in didn't exist? I say you'd still be buying the Apple products. You do, because they satisfy your needs just right.

But, as previously noted, if the DRM didn't exist, and all devices were capable of playing the content, better devices COULD exist, because there would be competition based on features and functionality... and price. As long as there is a proprietary lock-in, this can not be the case. And iPods will continue to dominate.

I can't imagine what can be better, at the moment (though I can imagine them being cheaper), but I couldn't imagine how my black&white-screen 4G could have been any better except for capacity, until they came out with other models.

 

[FX120]

Well the bigger you are the harder you fall...

I refuse to buy anything off of iTunes these days. In fact, I has been several years since I have bought anything from them.

Support your local record stores.

 

[Jeff Meredith]

Question for you --- name one competing device to the iPod or Apple TV that you would buy if that perceived lock-in didn't exist? I say you'd still be buying the Apple products. You do, because they satisfy your needs just right.

I agree whole-heartedly, that the iPods are superior, IMO but only my opinon. But as of now, I'm not even looking, I have far more invested in Music than the cost of my iPods (Touch being the latest).

If my music was unlocked I'd be able to test out the latest and greatest. Who knows, the brown Zune might be attractive. 😉

So in essence, Apple owns my music buying right now and I'm married to them, not that there's anything wrong with that and I'm happy with it. But this is a consequence of the Music Industry's decision.

If the music industry goes to Steve Jobs and says Break Down the Wall of DRM, what can he say. They'd be echoing what he said. If music buyers have an "Open" relationship with their music, things could get interesting.

 

[shadowfax]

Support your local record stores.

Support the past? Let's also resist globalization and modernization, they are screwing over all the people who can't adapt!

This is shocking, I can't believe Amazon's MP3 store hasn't taken serious ground with its DRM-free store!

 

[cxny]

but I couldn't imagine how my black&white-screen 4G could have been any better except for capacity, until they came out with other models.

Which is why Apple rules the consumer electronics field - they CAN imagine anything possible and make it elegant and simple.

 

[Dimwhit]

Well the bigger you are the harder you fall...

I refuse to buy anything off of iTunes these days. In fact, I has been several years since I have bought anything from them.

Support your local record stores.

What local record stores? Don't know about anyone else, but outside of the big chains, I don't even have one that I know of.

 

[hulugu]

*shrugs* I stopped going to iTMS now that Amazon has a somewhat competent selection that is DRM free at 256kb/s....Other then the store layout sucking like a black hole....

Amazon's site drives me nuts, I'm still not very impressed with either the UI or the selection. Furthermore, Amazon's getting DRM-free music from labels who are colluding in order to blunt iTunes' popularity. If the labels are giving DRM-free files to Amazon they should be doing the same for their iTunes customers. So, just for that, I'm not going to use iTunes.

Well the bigger you are the harder you fall...

I refuse to buy anything off of iTunes these days. In fact, I has been several years since I have bought anything from them.

Support your local record stores.

I do. But, sometimes I'm back to only wanting one song, or something my local record store doesn't have. I don't see the problem in buying some stuff from iTunes, some from eMusic, and some from the record store. Each has their distinct advantages.

I'll be glad when Apple is able (and willing) to strip the DRM from iTunes entirely.

 

[methodmano]

Anything to drive Wal-Mart out of business is OK with me. They're the bane of the U.S.

 

[SinfonianShrek]

Support your local record stores.

That's all well and good but the majority of the buyers on iTunes probably aren't there for a full album. Most likely they purchase a few single songs at a time. Unless my local store is going to start offering that, preferrably in a digital medium so I can save myself the clutter of unused CDs, tapes, vinyl, etc. I'm not buying.

Let's not mention the difference in available selection. Not only is there a huge selection of artists from the major labels there are also indie artists on iTunes that you can't find anywhere else unless you make it to one of their shows (look for Jak Locke as an example).

Then there's the shopping experience... I'm sure there are people who enjoy pouring over record after record after record in a store but that is the minority of music shoppers. Plus with brick-and-mortar stores there's the wonderful variable of human interaction. Every shopping experience I've had with a local record store has been ruined by the employees.

Local stores will always have a niche so long as real-media music is published. However, they will never be able to capture even the smallest percentage of the market in today's convenience and selection driven economy.

 

[Antares]

How do the NPD numbers work? Are they comparing a 10 song CD to a single song iTunes purchase? Or do they do some sort combination or division of songs?

Do the iTunes numbers include the free songs that they give out every Tuesday?

 

[e-coli]

Universal Music Group must just be kicking themselves in their own dumb asses.

Doug Morris must give the world's best BJ's to still be employed.

 

[Edmar]

There isn't such a thing

Well the bigger you are the harder you fall...

I refuse to buy anything off of iTunes these days. In fact, I has been several years since I have bought anything from them.

Support your local record stores.

I would support record store only if I can find one, 1998 was the last time I went to one and it was pretty incovenient to get to it. I just bought a Killers single as I wrote this post. You get the point?

 

[twoodcc]

wow. good job Apple! let's hope this success continues

 

[Ugg]

Let's not mention the difference in available selection. Not only is there a huge selection of artists from the major labels there are also indie artists on iTunes that you can't find anywhere else unless you make it to one of their shows (look for Jak Locke as an example).

That's why the iTMS is the future. They support indies because it really doesn't cost anything to do so. There's no way that even the most successful local record store could begin to stock but a small percentage of indie music that exists.

Digital music downloads affords even the most obscure band an international exposure.


I hate shopping for music in a brick and mortar store. It's a much more enjoyable experience and less time consuming in my own home.

Long live iTMS!

 

[jhsfosho]

I'm not really surprised. I haven't bought music outside of iTMS for a long time. I've given more gift cards than CD's as gifts as well.

 

[Sweetbike40]

Wal-Mart? I wouldn't even think of buying music there? huh?

 

[MacinDoc]

How do the NPD numbers work? Are they comparing a 10 song CD to a single song iTunes purchase? Or do they do some sort combination or division of songs?

Do the iTunes numbers include the free songs that they give out every Tuesday?

Any physical CD, regardless of the number of tracks on it, is counted as 12 tracks.

 

[Antares]

I hate shopping for music in a brick and mortar store. It's a much more enjoyable experience and less time consuming in my own home.

For me, it's the opposite. I will only buy from iTunes if there is a specific song that I know that I want. It's a pain to browse. I think it's much simpler and pleasurable to go to a physical store (music store rather than mass market) to flip through cd's. That said, I buy most of my physical cd's online -> new or used. Albums on iTunes are too expensive for what you're getting (no physical liner notes, lower sound quality, occasional DRM, no automatic archive, etc.). With a physical copy, you get more for less. To be a good value and worthwhile, comparatively, a digital album would have to be priced $4.99...not $9.99.

Any physical CD, regardless of the number of tracks on it, is counted as 12 tracks.

Then does NPD combine 12 itunes songs sold to equal each cd sold at Best Buy, Walmart, Target etc...or vice versa?

 

[Diatribe]

Give it a year and they'll be first.

As soon as they offer Lossless I'll be buying exclusively at the iTS.

 

[ideapower]

Independent records stores are certainly not "the past". A great record store is an experience never to be replaced by a big-box retailer or an online source of music. A great record store is part of any city's cultural fiber, and are places not only to shop, but to discover and experience music. They're also a central part of any thriving local music scene.

If you say that there's not one near you, then you either live in the middle of nowhere, or you just haven't looked hard enough. Check these lists and directories of independent record stores:
http://www.cimsmusic.com/stores/index.php
http://www.recordlabelresource.com/list.php?catid=29
http://www.previewnewmusic.com/socialdistortion/#AL