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Apple and EMI Music Launch 'iTunes Pass' Short-Term Subscriptions
- Thread starter hanschien
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I really think this is aimed at fans of Depeche Mode. The real fans want the physical media, and usually bypass paying Apple for it. If they include some exclusives, fans might be more prone to spend money in iTunes to get the stuff they can't get at the record store.
Edit: This would apply to fans of other bands as well, Depeche Mode is just the first.
Edit: This would apply to fans of other bands as well, Depeche Mode is just the first.
This is Smart.
So they finally looked at artists releases and realized that album release was not just an album, but a bunch of minor content leading up to the album, the album, and maybe some tail end stuff.
So they are letting people buy all the content tied to one release up front, which is good. because presumably the users get a worthwhile amount of content with out having to worry to much about double buying things to get all the extras, and good for the artists/publishers because they have people getting the leading edge stuff and building buzz for the album itself.
So they finally looked at artists releases and realized that album release was not just an album, but a bunch of minor content leading up to the album, the album, and maybe some tail end stuff.
So they are letting people buy all the content tied to one release up front, which is good. because presumably the users get a worthwhile amount of content with out having to worry to much about double buying things to get all the extras, and good for the artists/publishers because they have people getting the leading edge stuff and building buzz for the album itself.
Read the whole story people
This is a good idea. Depeche Mode has piles of songs. $19 would be a great deal to download them all. I also like this as a step forward in the direction towards and iTunes subscription services which I would eat up, giving access to all the iTunes library for a monthly fee. I don't really care if it's DRM as long as they let me burn 1 CD per day.
This is a good idea. Depeche Mode has piles of songs. $19 would be a great deal to download them all. I also like this as a step forward in the direction towards and iTunes subscription services which I would eat up, giving access to all the iTunes library for a monthly fee. I don't really care if it's DRM as long as they let me burn 1 CD per day.
Depeche Mode sucks, but that's beside the point. I really don't get the major benefit of this, either.
Yeah, it's a little weird that you don't know what you're getting. But this is for the hardcore fans only: the completists who get everything by Depeche Mode (or whatever other bands might do this), sight unseen, samples unheard. It doesn't matter; if a band puts it out, these fans will get it.
I'm that way about Radiohead, Andrew Bird, Sigur Ros, and some others. (Well, not videos or remixes, generally. But any albums and B-sides, anyway.)
Pretty weird.
I guess if you know ahead of time enough of what you're getting to be worth the price, then it's OK... but I don't see the need for this. Just another way to market a band, I guess? Banners on the iTunes home page and plain-old coupon promos seemed to meet those needs already.
Oh well, experiment away!
I guess if you know ahead of time enough of what you're getting to be worth the price, then it's OK... but I don't see the need for this. Just another way to market a band, I guess? Banners on the iTunes home page and plain-old coupon promos seemed to meet those needs already.
Oh well, experiment away!
I don't think you get the entire back catalog. The quote reads:
I understood that as you get anything released from now until June 16th. That's likely to be one album, some singles and a video or two.
Very smart. The new music model will be to cater to your "#1 fans" by providing them premium content at a premium price.
I expect lots to follow suite.
I expect lots to follow suite.
Lame
How can you predict how much content will come to be?
Why is it tied to a "Specific time period" rather than a specific amount of content?
Way to confuse the consumer guys.
Let's have a premium subscription and a student subscription and a home subscription while we are at it. Maybe they can make them all really similar so we can't tell the difference. Sounds like the windows vista model.
How can you predict how much content will come to be?
Why is it tied to a "Specific time period" rather than a specific amount of content?
Way to confuse the consumer guys.
Let's have a premium subscription and a student subscription and a home subscription while we are at it. Maybe they can make them all really similar so we can't tell the difference. Sounds like the windows vista model.
Hey guys, take it easy. This is a weird solution, but I can guarantee it will also be temporary. It will get better and cheaper over time. It will involve different artists, and this could even be a stepping stone towards a subscription service.
Sure, this particular deal is confusing and not terribly interesting to most of us (Depeche Mode? Really?) but there's no denying that EMI is dipping their feet in the water of something that can end up being a lot bigger and better than it currently is. EMI is, after all, the label that went 100% DRM-free before the others would even give thought to it.
So give credit where credit is due. This is a rather lame test, but one that is surely a precursor to some cool stuff down the road.
Sure, this particular deal is confusing and not terribly interesting to most of us (Depeche Mode? Really?) but there's no denying that EMI is dipping their feet in the water of something that can end up being a lot bigger and better than it currently is. EMI is, after all, the label that went 100% DRM-free before the others would even give thought to it.
So give credit where credit is due. This is a rather lame test, but one that is surely a precursor to some cool stuff down the road.
it's great because the Mode are my fave band.
It's crap because it isn't available in the UK (iTunes Pass). I own all their CDs anyway, I have several copies of some
You don't own the music covered by this pass though, it hasn't been released yet.
As a few other people have already said, this doesn't give you the entire Depeche Mode back catalogue for $18.99, just the new material they are releasing in the next few months.
I don't like it. You're asked to spend money on content that you don't know the quantity or quality of. With a season pass you know exactly what you're getting. With this, you might just get stuck with a bunch of lame remixes and dubs you would never listen to.
It's like a subscription service. You pay Netflix a monthy fee, not a "however long it takes you to watch all of our movies" fee. That would obviously not be sustainable.
Like a few people have said, this isn't for the casual listener. If Depeche Mode were your favorite band ever (and there are quite a few people out there with that point of view, I am sure) then this would be a no-brainer. EMI and iTunes are relying on the hardcore fans to make this profitable, and more power to them.
In may ways, this attempt is similar to how NIN made a ton of money off giving their albums away for free, because the hardcore fans would pay for the limited/signed/whatever edition.
So can you also download PREVIOUS releases by DM during the pass period?
Do you keep the misuc, or can you only play it during the period?
So confusing!
Don't like the DM much, I would do that for the Beatles. Oh, no Beatles yet on iTunes? CD's are still a better idea.
Do you keep the misuc, or can you only play it during the period?
So confusing!
Don't like the DM much, I would do that for the Beatles. Oh, no Beatles yet on iTunes? CD's are still a better idea.
Jeezus, you guys are dim.
This is for fans for XXX band. NOT FOR YOU. OF COURSE this is going to be something that would appeal for fans of that band. It's BASIC MARKETING.
Good thing Apple doesn't take marketing "advice" from you geniuses...
Ahh, well I'll just get it off Amazon (their new CD) for about a tenner anyway
Their tour is a joke - one night in the UK at the feckin' O2 Arena which is an absolute BITCH to get to. The car park can't accommodate half of the seating capacity the arena has, so you have to park miles away.
Great band though, love them
I'm a fan of lotsa bands. But I won't pony up cash before I hear what it is they are up to. Many great band produce crap.
And in any case, the unknown quality of the product aside, My issue is that they don't even seem to be quantifying the amount of content. Do I get 3 videos? 2? How many songs? How many extras? A subscription only makes sense if I know what I get and when.
I wouldn't subscribe to a magazine if I didn't know how many issues I was getting or how frequently.