Do you like music? Nowadays, we can listen music anywhere and anytime. We can buy songs easier than before by using internet. iTunes store is one of the most popular online music store where we can get music. You can download songs cheaper from there than buying CD. Therefore, many music shops have closed their business because of online shops and this is a huge problem for musicians. On the other hand, this is very good thing for musicians also. Because of technology improvement, music business is changing a lot.According to this article, songs of the best selling music band Beatles started selling on iTunes from this morning. Many people had requested this, but the requests had never been taken because it was not easy way to sell Beatles songs online. Recording Industry Association of America says "The band has sold more than 177 million albums in the U.S alone". Beatles is the huge prize for any music company, so every company wants it. Paul McCartny said that " download would have to be approved by all the band members or their heirs" ( ¶ 13) .
Apple opened iTunes store seven years ago, and it has changes the music industry and become the largest music online store in the U.S. Although it is selling many songs, iTunes store is not a main source of profits. Mr.Bajarin said "The music itself is a vehicle to allow them to sell more iPods and iPhones, which is where they make real money" (¶ 9) . Apple used to sell a song for 99 cents which was very inexpensive but changed it to 1.29 dollars because of pressure from the music industry and sometimes rancorous negotiations.
It is good thing for musicians to sell their songs online because they can get fans from online which is one of biggest markets in the world, and they can advertise themselves easier. On the other hand, the musicians have to sell their CDs to get money because selling CDs is a major source of profit for them. However, people seems like to prefer download rather than buying CDs. It is a big problem.
Selling Beatles' songs on iTunes is good thing for both of Apple and Beatles. Apple might not get big profit from selling Beatles' songs, but the band is going to one of the symbols of Apple. Therefore, Apple can be more popular and people reconfirm that iTune is the best online music store. This is big profit. Beatles can sell more songs and boost again. These are very good things for Beatles, but the best thing is that iTunes helps introduce the songs to younger listeners and they will tell about Beatles to their children in the future, and it can be legacy.
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References
Sisario, B. & Heleft, M. ( 2010, November 15). Working It Out, iTunes to Sell Beatles Titles. The New York Times. Retrieved November 16, 2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/business/media/16apple.html?_r=1&hp
Sisario, B. & Heleft, M. ( 2010, November 15). Working It Out, iTunes to Sell Beatles Titles. The New York Times. Retrieved November 16, 2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/business/media/16apple.html?_r=1&hp
The more things online the better I think.
ReplyDeleteI love it. If I can get rid of my DVD collection and other things because everything is online at a reasonable price, I'll do it.
My brother has inherited my copy of the OED because the online version is so vastly superior in every way. (It looks very impressive on his bookshelves.)
If I love a band so much, after downloading all the songs, I would go to a store and buy the CD and whatever they have to offer, DVD with on tour clips, the deluxe version of the CD, etc., etc.
ReplyDeleteCD and DVD are for collections now. People don't buy them just to listen to songs or to watch movies, it's beyond that. Plus, a collection of the Beatles CDs would look pretty in your room.
My concern is that this would happen to books, too. I can not wrap my head around the idea of reading only E-Books and no more smelling and touching a fresh new book. Torturing!
One thing I like about Itunes is that anyone could put up a song for people to buy. My favorite youtubers do that. This is like the greatest thing, if it is not for Itunes, I wouldn't be able to buy those songs, living on the other side of the world like this.
For my opinion, the main purpose of Apple which allow people to download musics through iTune is they want people get used to their software such as iTune, and people will become Apple's customer after they realize the advantage of iTune.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Roong that If I loved the band, I would buy the original one because I love the feeling when I have it and when I touch it. It's indescribable.
Agree, iTune is really convenient and I'm addicted already! Apart from Google and Facebook, iTune is like the ultimate thing I can not live with out now.
ReplyDeleteApple invented the good business model which they can make more profit. But,This thing creates the bad side effects for music industry- singers, musicians,bands,and music companies. They were forced to change. And that why, They are very suffer.
ReplyDeleteI think there are a few people like Roong and Net. Most of people prefer to listen for free, or pay less as much as they can.
However,because of this situation, Bands and companies have more opportunity to build their brand and introduce their songs which make fans want more to see band's live shows.
I agree with Roong and Net. I would buy and own CD of the band I like because it is not only about music but it is a value of something that remain me when I see it.
ReplyDeleteI stopped buying music many years ago; in the other hand, I use to buy original DVDs, books of photography and Graphic Novelty. It means that I enjoy mainly music, books, movies and photography. The principal reason why I don't buy CDs is because in most of western countries exist spotify, a software in which people is able to listen all the music they want on-line. You don't need to download anything, just listen. And it is totally legal.
ReplyDeleteI thought that with the revolution of music in internet the bands would start playing in live to recover from not selling much, but it didn't happen. I love to go to a concert of a band I follow. Why are we losing the culture of music in live?
Even if iTune does not exist, I think the music industry would still be forced to change. It's the internet era, people! No one would sit patiently, waiting for their favorite songs to be played on the radio. Besides, ripping an audio file from a CD into MP3 form wastes time and energy, we're using iPod and mp3players here not "Walkman" anymore, right?
ReplyDeleteLook at our country for an example, iTune is not popular here but there are pirates MP3 everywhere, 4shared anyone?
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ReplyDeleteI'll give this lyric,"It's been a hard day's night" for CDs company.ahaha I think they should transform or adapt themselves be suitable in online world. The problem is only Media as it is changeable all the time for example cassette tape.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good news for iTunes because fans of the beatles around the world is waiting for it. But I do not believe one point that iTunes introduce the songs to younger listener. The main factor is the internet. Because iTunes is not available for everyone.