Why Won't Apple Sell Your iTunes LPs?

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?"

Comments

Re:Can anyone think of a reason?

[MBCook]

I can.

What if this is to prevent labels from dumping crud into the iTunes store and making iTunes LP look like a joke? By forcing the studios to commit at least so much money to the project, they may only do it for bigger bands and when they can do a good job, instead of just putting 20 images together and just saying "Look! It's an LP" for everything in their catalog.

Basically, this may be a way to help with initial quality control.

The question is if it continues or not. Whether it's adjusted up or down, how it starts to work with indie labels, that will be the question.

Re:LP?

[commodore64_love]

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

Re:LP?

[Vindicator9000]

For real? I've heard people complain that new albums only have a few good songs, and thought it was bunk... if that's the case, you're not listening to the right bands to begin with. Now old albums only have a few good songs?

What about Zoso? Dark Side of the Moon? Tommy? Van Halen I? Bookends? Electric Ladyland? Brothers in Arms? 2112? I could go into modern examples too, starting with everything Dredg has ever made, and finishing with everything Muse has ever made

There are thousands of albums that are great, start to finish. What's killing the music industry is not piracy, it's the fact that people no longer have the attention span to sit through a great album, and aren't willing to pay album prices for the singles that the radio has drilled into their heads.

Re:LP?

[jitterman]

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.

Re:LP?

[gnick]

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

Re:Oh that's the $10,000 question.

[Whalou]

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.