unfair apple itunes policy!

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Level 1

14 points

unfair apple itunes policy!

I felt the need to vent about this - i hope apple does not delete this message.
First, let me say I'm a big fan of itunes. I use it now for ALL my music purchases. I have an ipod and a shuffle. BUT... I was alerted to this new policy that is very disturbing to me, and I can not fathom how or why apple is doing this. They are now picking certain songs, and making it impossible for you to purchase that one particular song without purchasing the ENTIRE album! This stinks of corporate greed - which surprises me coming from Apple. For example, a popular classic song called "American Pie" by Don McClean. You can not purchase this song anymore for 99 cents, but now must purchase the entire album for $10!!! What is even more underhanded is that if you go to a movie soundtrack to purchase a song... you can not. You must purchase the entire soundtrack... BUT if you do a search for that particular song, and can find it on a different album (in some cases) you CAN still purchase it for 99 cents. So if you are not well versed in itunes, and not familiar with how to search for a song, then you are "tricked" into buying the entire album due to lack of knowledge. This just plain stinks. Apple, if you are listening. PLEASE stop this new practice. You will alienate fans (old and new) and force them to look elsewhere for individual songs! I for one will not purchase 10-14 other songs just to hear the one song i do wish to purchase.
I'm very dissapointed.
Cyen

Posted on Sep 16, 2005 11:40 AM

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Answer 1

peeble

Level 4

2,095 points

Sep 16, 2005 11:42 AM in response to Cyen

I think you will that in general those sorts of issues are stipulated by the record companies/artists and not by Apple

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Answer 2

Sep 16, 2005 11:54 AM in response to Cyen

Since you are complaining about something and not trying to get help your post will most likely be either deleted or locked. But I will go ahead and respond to your questions.

This so-called unfair policy has been in effect since the iTMS opened. In general all songs over 7 minutes in length have always been album-only purchases. There have been some exceptions to this rule, and when The Grateful Dead put their catalog on the iTMS they negotiated that all songs over 10 minutes in length would be album-only purchases.

What mostly likely has happened in the case of the Don McLean song is the record company uploaded new files to the iTMS and in doing so instructed that this song no longer be available for $.99. So you really need to be complaining to the record company that controls the rights to the Don McLean songs and not Apple.

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Answer 3

Sep 16, 2005 12:03 PM in response to Cyen

Cyen:

This is far from a new policy - certain tracks have been "album only" since the store first opened.

As the earlier responder noted - this isn't a policy set by Apple, but by the record lables who contract with Apple.

As for your statement

What is even more underhanded is that if you go to a movie soundtrack to purchase a song... you can not. You must purchase the entire soundtrack..

That is completely untrue - I just check about a dozen different soundtracks, most of which were on the "Hot Soundtracks" bar, and all of them were enabled for individual track purchase.

As for being tricked into purchasing an entire album - frankly, that is complete bunk. You have to press the Purchase Album button - which is separate from the Purchase Song buttons. Maybe you can't read or are dyslexic, but anyone else with even basic intelligence can tell the difference between the word "album" and the word "song."

You really need to calm down - a little less coffee, maybe?

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