Why Won't Apple Sell Your iTunes LPs? 306
jfruhlinger writes "Over the weekend there's been a bit of controversy over the fact that Apple has effectively shut indie artists out of the iTunes LP market by charging $10,000 in design fees. But the real question is why Apple is in charge of designing the new iTunes LP at all, since the format is based on open Web design technologies. There's at least one iTunes LP already available outside the iTunes store. Why won't Apple sell it?"
XXS and other issues (Score:3, Interesting)
In which case, they need to come up with a standardized couple of formats in which people can plug in artwork, videos and other data to create their own LP.
Marketing (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:LP? (Score:1, Interesting)
>>>It's part of that retro-is-new thing, all the kids are doing it, it's alltuhh-9ytujhff all the rage (sorry, electric typewriter keys got stuck - one of the hazards of being cool).
>>>
I have an old manual typewriter that's virtually new in appearance. Wanna buy this old piece of ju.... er, fine piece of retro engineering? ;-)
I can understand why retro has become cool, after all I collect old Commodores fr retrogaming, but I never liked the LP even when it was popular. Those old records were typically two good songs, and ten other songs I've never heard before and frankly didn't care to hear (if they had been good, they would have played on the radio). I'd rather just buy the 45s... oops I mean the singles, or wait for the "best of" collection.
Bringing back the LP holds zero interest for me. Give me individual songs so I can buy just the best and filter out the crap.
Re:LP? (Score:4, Interesting)
Actually, there is more. They showed the Doors LP which contained exclusive interviews and other video media. The idea is to get you to buy the whole album instead of just a track or two. I don't think they're really charging much more for it, maybe an extra $1, although the one's I've looked at seem to contain more songs than the standard album.
Whether it works out or not, I at least give them credit for trying to add some additional value to the digital media and provide some better incentives to buying whole albums.
Re:LP? (Score:0, Interesting)
Cue Slashdotters, angry because someone is offering something for sale, who can't understand why anyone would ever buy it because they don't want to buy it. Increment by one the already uncountable number of times they've been wrong.
As if anyone comes here for marketing advice. As if you people are students of human behavior. Your flagship product here is something 90% or humanity will pay to avoid having to use.
Re:LP? (Score:4, Interesting)
According to itunes it's not on the Cd release, but in just a couple of years when a new compilation album comes out it'll be very likely guaranteed that those tracks will be on the disc.
I've got a pre-Sap/Jar of Flies dual demo vinyl with the AiC logo engraved on the back - a REAL LP with songs never released on the official albums and STILL unreleased to this day.
iTunes doesn't have any real exclusives - those that actually know the band have the real exclusives that the rest of the world will never hear. Another example, "The Prince," written by Diamond Head and covered by Metallica, was originally on the Black Album (The Thompson Original Master Tape, anyways) and never made it to the final cut, instead appearing later as a b-side to One and Harvester of Sorrow singles and on the Garage, Inc album. Also, the original title to song #5 on the same Black Album - "Whereever I May Road" yes, not roam, ROAD.
There hasn't been a real "exclusive" in the music market since digital distribution. No mispresses, no off-recordings, nothing that makes anything unique and awesome anymore. Can't carve a shitload of grooves into an optical disc like we did with a vinyl LP and still expect it to play!
Re:LP? (Score:2, Interesting)
I'd argue that albums where every song is solid is the exception, not the norm. In fact it's pretty rare. There are some famous albmus where everything was good, but far, far more where there are a couple of good songs at the front, a bunch of filler in the middle, then one good song at the end.
I see this sentiment quite a lot on ./ - it makes me wonder where people here get their music from. I can only assume it is a mix of commercial radio and whatever happens to be on the shelf at your local corporate music outlet.
There are loads and loads of albums which are 70-100% gold. I would describe myself as a very discriminating listener (in every sense) and I have no time for singles, one-hit-wonders or anything you might call filler. Just flicking through the thirty or so albums I have on this particular computer, all of the following are more or less all quality from start to finish:
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock'n'Roll
Belle & Sebastian - Tigermilk
Bob Dylan - 12 albums containing at most a handful of below-brilliant tracks
The Decemberists - Castaways and Cutouts
Elvis Costello - My Aim is True
Interpol - Antics
The Killers - Sam's Town
Leonard Cohen - New Skin for the Old Ceremony
Muse - Origin of Symmetry
The National - Boxer
Pink Floyd - 4 albums which do not contain a single track which is not exceptional
Portishead - Portishead
Pulp - This Is Hardcore
Radiohead - OK Computer
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Spoon - Gimme Fiction
The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave
Tom Waits - Blood Money
Tool - Lateralus
In summary - there are tonnes of great, consistent albums out there - go and find them, dammit!