Sheesh finally - although they charge a bit more for songs this is probably a good thing for them to do.
So I clicked around and there is a link that takes me a list of my current songs that can be switched - 30 cents each…but so far only like 6 of my songs are on the list-
Does anyone know if there is a plan to switch ALL of their songs to non-DRM?
Hmm, 2000 songs at .30… that is new math for sure!
No. It depends on each record label. If Sony or Universal want DRM, then they’re keeping DRM. If they decide to ditch DRM, then Apple will sell non-DRM.
I can get songs for less than $0.60 apiece on average, with no DRM, encoded at as high a bitrate as I like, with a free hard copy in a lossless format! It’s called the “used CD section” at the local indy record store, and it’s balls-out better value and quality than iTunes.
Until iTunes offers me the equivilant quality without DRM and at a lower price, then they can take their crap and shovel it.
My purchasing habits are the same, I’d much rather own a CD than a file I downloaded, I don’t think anyone’s suggesting this as a perfect replacement for that, but for someone who is going to buy digital music, this is a good thing.
Generally I agree but iTunes does offer some advantages: everywhere (no “local indy record stores” with used CD sections around me, and even around my college a few closed up in my time there - they’re dissapearing), one song at a time, open 24/7 etc. etc.
If possible I’d much rather have the hard copy but iTunes, eMusic, etc. have their place.
I don’t understand how such a high price can be placed on what amounts to such a minor convinience. Clearly, my valuation of “instant gratification” is set many notches below that of the general populus, because I seem to be the only person left on the planet who doesn’t own at least one song off of iTunes.
I’m album-oriented, I like my CD shelf, and I won’t even put songs lower than 192kbps avbr on my DAP, so clearly, I’m a demographic that just isn’t ever going to have a place in the digital music spectrum.
Without a physical copy, without album art I can hold and look at, without true portability, what iTunes offers to me isn’t worth more than $0.25 per song, and I don’t think I’ll be interested until it hits that price point.
I doubt Apple is really gonna be let down that I’m not gonna be a customer to them anytime soon, though.
You got it.