itunes store more expensive

Pricing is controlled by the record companies, and they have yet to show that they have a rational viewpoint regarding download music stores, and in particular pricing on complete albums. For that reason, many people who want an entire album prefer to purchase the CD (which also allows you to import it at the bit rate of your choice).

Perhaps at some point the record companies will wake up and realize what a good thing download music is and stop adopting irrational policies. But for now, we will have to suffer with such pricing silliness.

Mike,

I've seen Katie Melua's album in Asda for £7.47.

But I have the same point, not about chart-topping current albums, but classical music, and opera in particular.

Since the advent of CD we've been given the reasons for the extorionate high cost of classical and opera CD, manufacturing, transport, unsold stock, damaged stock, printed material. A first rate copy of a full opera - The Marriage Of Figaro, as an example, the most popular opera on the planet - would cost about £50-£60. For that you got 3 CD's, a 60 page glossy full colour booklet (with all the words in Italian and English). I could understand the concept of unsold stock. Not many people would pay that much, so the price premium to have it available on the shelf in my local Virgin or HMV was justified.

Internet music is meant to be a god-send for anyone chasing rare and collectible music, soundtracks, audio tracks. I expect a more regular price for my opera albums. There's no manufacturing costs, no transport, no unsold stock, no book, no shop staff to pay, no shop business rates. So why do they still cost the same as they did on CD ?
Some are a little cheaper, but a full copy of Siegfried (Richard Wagner) goes for over $40. He's been dead for over 120 years, OK, the Berlin orchestra still have to be paid, but it's a lot of money when all the costs are mine.