May 20, 2003
10:39 PM
10:39 PM
Apple's iTunes Music Store needs more music.
The subject line says it all, I believe. The debut album from The Thorns just came out, and I can't download it from Apple. The last issue of Paste had a great anthology CD (as usual), and almost none of the artists on it are available from Apple. Basically, I never want to purchase a physical CD again, but so far it's just not there yet.
I've been downloading like a madman, but I've noticed a few glaring omissions, particularly in terms of compilation albums. though I suppose that's thanks to the difficulty in piecing together agreements from disparate labels. I too want to see more obscure stuff, more independents, maybe even some stuff that never made it past vinyl (now I'm dating myself). Still, this is *definitely* the future of music sales, like it or not.
Oh, I like it, I like it. Some people complain because what you're buying is intangible, but I'm thrilled to not have to take the time to rip the CD, and take up the space. I already have boxes of CDs that I've converted to MP3 and stored on a music server for easy access via streaming or downloading to my iPod. Instant gratification + low prices + great selection + no storage space = happy cutomer. Hmm, which one of those elements is missing right now?
This is the cost of having somewhat eclectic taste in music, I guess.