Mainstream iTunes tracks to raise in price April 7th
updated 03:40 pm EDT, Thu March 26, 2009
iTunes cost hike on Apr. 7
Apple's plans to enact variable music pricing at the iTunes Store will take effect April 7th, says the LA Times. Although Apple has yet to publicly announce a firm date, the information is said to be circulating in the music industry, as a result of Apple telling record labels in preparation. Many mainstream hits, including both new and old songs, will be raised in price from 99 cents to $1.29.
As previously announced, a number of older tracks should simultaneously be reduced in cost to 69 cents, in a bid to encourage back-catalog sales. The changes are generally acknowledged to be a result of pressure from major labels, which have been unhappy with digital sales as CD-based distribution continues to decline. Apple's concession may have allowed the simultaneous removal of DRM, which was initially put in place to appease concerns over piracy; the technology is now increasingly rare though, missing from prominent sites such as Amazon and eMusic.
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Joined: Aug 2001
Woohoo!
Older music is better music. And older music will now be cheaper music!
Although in an interesting turn (and who saw the RIAA doing this???), apparently it isn't just 'new' music costing more, it's "mainstream hits, including both new and old songs,"
So I guess no hope of getting "Afternoon Delight" for .69.