Comments on: It worked for DIVX, right? (Oh, wait…) http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/2005/02/subscription-music/ Sci-fi, comics, humor, photos...it's all fair game. Wed, 23 May 2012 18:19:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Hazards of DRM | K-Squared Ramblings http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/2005/02/subscription-music/#comment-41505 Hazards of DRM | K-Squared Ramblings Tue, 06 May 2008 18:21:33 +0000 http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/archives/2005/02/08/subscription-music/#comment-41505 [...] won’t be an instantaneous death like DIVX was, or like a subscription system, because it doesn’t phone home whenever you try to play a track. But it’ll be a lot [...] [...] won’t be an instantaneous death like DIVX was, or like a subscription system, because it doesn’t phone home whenever you try to play a track. But it’ll be a lot [...]

]]> By: Katie http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/2005/02/subscription-music/#comment-1501 Katie Thu, 10 Feb 2005 19:47:43 +0000 http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/archives/2005/02/08/subscription-music/#comment-1501 iTunes' business model, coupled with the business models of the other services available, infuriates me on a regular basis. The contracts they have with record labels mean that certain artists will never appear on iTunes, and even if you buy the CD, it often won't include the radio edit, forcing you to pay a ridiculous price (sometimes an import price, even) for remix CDs rather than just hopping on the net and buying one track. (Yes, Evanescence, I'm talking about you.) Or, because artists switch labels, you'll find two albums exclusively on iTunes, three only on Napster, and one on the new Sony service. And the one you want is always on the service you don't have. (Yes, Harvey Danger, I'm talking--exaggeratedly--about you.) Particularly evil is what happens with soundtracks: songs by artists appearing "courtesy of" other companies are left out entirely. I don't want the soundtrack to <i>Where the Heart Is</i>, but it's going to be the only way to get the one song I want from it.....which is the one song not available on iTunes. (Yes, John Hiatt, I'm talking about you.) And by far the worst effect of label-sponsoring as far as I'm concerned: the utter lack of comedy and parody albums on iTunes. Rhino Records is fantastic and I love them for giving a home to all the demented stuff I adore, but WHYYYYYY did they have to be affiliated with BMG? Now, not only would I have to use Napster to legally download "Bulbous Bouffant," but I would have to pay for it for the rest of my life and hope like hell there are sufficient other people gullible and/or dedicated enough to keep the service going. To be fair, though, exclusive offerings by electronic music services give record stores a better chance of staying in business. *.sigh.* Wonder if Tower has the Vestibules? iTunes’ business model, coupled with the business models of the other services available, infuriates me on a regular basis. The contracts they have with record labels mean that certain artists will never appear on iTunes, and even if you buy the CD, it often won’t include the radio edit, forcing you to pay a ridiculous price (sometimes an import price, even) for remix CDs rather than just hopping on the net and buying one track. (Yes, Evanescence, I’m talking about you.) Or, because artists switch labels, you’ll find two albums exclusively on iTunes, three only on Napster, and one on the new Sony service. And the one you want is always on the service you don’t have. (Yes, Harvey Danger, I’m talking–exaggeratedly–about you.) Particularly evil is what happens with soundtracks: songs by artists appearing “courtesy of” other companies are left out entirely. I don’t want the soundtrack to Where the Heart Is, but it’s going to be the only way to get the one song I want from it…..which is the one song not available on iTunes. (Yes, John Hiatt, I’m talking about you.)

And by far the worst effect of label-sponsoring as far as I’m concerned: the utter lack of comedy and parody albums on iTunes. Rhino Records is fantastic and I love them for giving a home to all the demented stuff I adore, but WHYYYYYY did they have to be affiliated with BMG? Now, not only would I have to use Napster to legally download “Bulbous Bouffant,” but I would have to pay for it for the rest of my life and hope like hell there are sufficient other people gullible and/or dedicated enough to keep the service going.

To be fair, though, exclusive offerings by electronic music services give record stores a better chance of staying in business. *.sigh.* Wonder if Tower has the Vestibules?

]]> By: Stacy http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/2005/02/subscription-music/#comment-1456 Stacy Wed, 09 Feb 2005 20:27:52 +0000 http://www.hyperborea.org/journal/archives/2005/02/08/subscription-music/#comment-1456 Wow. I guess some people have a lot of faith in Napster's continued existence. My only complaint with iTunes isn't with the marketing model. iTunes operates like a large music store and some of the more obscure titles I've looked for (to replace stuff from my BearShare days) just haven't come up. Other than that, it's worked very well. Wow. I guess some people have a lot of faith in Napster’s continued existence.

My only complaint with iTunes isn’t with the marketing model. iTunes operates like a large music store and some of the more obscure titles I’ve looked for (to replace stuff from my BearShare days) just haven’t come up. Other than that, it’s worked very well.

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