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Why Won't Apple Sell Your iTunes LPs?

Posted by timothy on from the can-anyone-think-of-a-reason? dept.

jfruhlinger writes "Over the weekend there's been a bit of controversy over the fact that Apple has effectively shut indie artists out of the iTunes LP market by charging $10,000 in design fees. But the real question is why Apple is in charge of designing the new iTunes LP at all, since the format is based on open Web design technologies. There's at least one iTunes LP already available outside the iTunes store. Why won't Apple sell it?"

10 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. LP? by Thelasko · · Score: 4, Informative

    I don't use iTunes so I must be missing something. Do they sell Long Play records on iTunes or does LP stand for something else?

    --
    One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
    1. Re:LP? by LordKronos · · Score: 4, Informative

      The LP is part of the move toward providing a more complete product back like they did with CDs, cassettes, and vinyl. With those things, you typically got extra stuff, like elaborate cover and inside art, and song lyrics, and with CDs there could be a data track with videos and other stuff. These are things that have gone by the wayside with digital downloads. Now that we are reaching the point where CD's are becoming a thing of the past for a much larger number of people, there has been an outcry about the loss of all of those extras. The digital LP is a focus to get those things back, so you can have all your extras for the complete experience.

    2. Re:LP? by Cheesetrap · · Score: 4, Informative

      Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, what they're calling an 'LP' is essentially a DVD-style menu for your album. With pics, lyrics and bio - you know, the kind of stuff any 5-year-old can get from google or can be auto-loaded by many modern music players (WinAMP, Amarok, take your pick).

      So on a scale of usefulness from "necessary for human survival" to "would rather have my balls in a vise", it scores about a "meh".

    3. Re:LP? by commodore64_love · · Score: 5, Informative

      RCA invented a video-record back in the 1970s. It used a needle and concentric grooves, but instead of touching the platter the needle hovered above the grooves. Using this method they could store 60 minutes of broadcast quality (440x480) analog video on one side of a 12 inch record.

      I still own one of these things. Unfortunately it failed for the same reason LaserDisc failed - it couldn't record live television or home movies as VHS could do. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance_Electronic_Disc

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    4. Re:LP? by jitterman · · Score: 5, Informative

      Another example: the new Alice In Chains release includes a few tracks that are (according to iTunes) not on the CD release. For all those who are completists and want to stay "legal" will probably think this is a good thing. Also, the cost of the album is (for now) $9.99, whereas the cost of the various tracks (and you can't get the bonus tracks without buying the album, so they don't even count towards this cost) add up to more than that.

      --
      For conscience is the wound, and there's naught to staunch it
    5. Re:LP? by gnick · · Score: 5, Informative

      On a scale from "engine" to "giant Hello Kitty decal for the rear window", it scores about a "windshield wipers on the headlights".

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
  2. Re:Groan ... Pay More Money for What Exactly? by shinma · · Score: 4, Informative

    Extractor? On a mac, you just have to rightclick on the LP file and do a "show package contents." It's just a bundle that uses HTML5/CSS3.

    Doesn't take a lot of work.

    --
    Shinma
  3. Apple says there is no $10,000 charge by chrisgeleven · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1038901&c=1

    However, an iTunes spokesman says the fee is fiction. “There is no production fee charged by Apple,” he says. "We're releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own.”

  4. Re:Oh that's the $10,000 question. by Whalou · · Score: 5, Informative
    From Music Week (http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1038901&c=1

    However, an iTunes spokesman says the fee is fiction. There is no production fee charged by Apple, he says. "We're releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own.

    Not sure who is right, this guy or the guy who quoted the 10k$ figure.

    I guess we'll have to wait and see. Or not if you're not interested in LPs.

    --
    English is not this .sig mother tongue...
  5. Apple has agreed to allow anyone to design an LP by DJRumpy · · Score: 4, Informative

    Responding to criticism that the iTunes LP format has been priced out of reach for independent musicians and labels, Apple has said it plans to open the format in the near future.

    Essentially they will allow anyone to design their own LP and bypass the $10,000 production fee.