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Apple Is Now the #1 US Music Retailer
Quantrell writes "A leaked e-mail shows that Apple hit the #1 spot for music sales in January. The article speculates that consumers cashing in their holiday gift cards may have played a role; but of course Wal-Mart and the other retailers sold gift cards too. The news is a mixed bag for the record labels. 'For the music industry, there is a dark side to Apple's ascension to the top of the charts. Buying patterns for digital downloads are different, as customers are far more likely to cherry pick a favorite track or two from an album than purchase the whole thing. In contrast, brick-and-mortar sales are predominantly high-margin CDs.'" We recently discussed Wal-Mart's role in the music business, back when they were selling nearly 20% of US music. For January Apple was at 19% and Wal-Mart at 15%.
Not me.
I have excellent Karma and I am not afraid to Troll it.
Do you feel that you add something to the discussion by voicing your solution of torrenting everything?
Yes. Namely: having the balls to say right out what everyone's thinking, but without any bullshit rationalizations.
It's also more expensive per song than regular iTunes.
The only reason apple don't offer all their music without DRM is because the record companies won't let them.
Apple has done more to promote and legitimize DRM than any other company, and they have earned enormous amounts of money with DRM. Nobody forced them to do that, and nobody forced them to become filthy rich from it. Of course, they are responsible for pushing DRM.
They are allowing amazon to have DRM free music in order to try and reduce apple's marketshare and thus reduce apple's chips at the negotiation table with the record companies.
Good. I hope they drive iTunes out of business.
Who cares?
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.