Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Apple unveils "iTunes LP"

Posted by aubin on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 4:30 PM (EDT)

In a event today, Apple unveiled their latest salvo against physical media with the iTunes LP. The product is designed to encourage more full album downloads from the store rather than the single song releases which largely dominate iTunes.

Accordingly, the company is bundling lyrics, liner notes, video, photos and "more." While the "more" is unclear, at the very least, it will include extras like interactive booklets and other bonus material. In the past few years, CD sales have decreased significantly and digital services like iTunes and Amazon have taken over significant chunks of the market.

Interestingly, in the past few years, actual vinyl has had a minor resurgence, with both independent retailers like Vinyl Collective and Interpunk selling more vinyl, and at the same time, large retailers like Best Buy devoting shelf space to the venerable format.

Games and Technology (68 comments)

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Seriously.

Babrook (September 9, 2009)

attention music industry-

Be more like Quote Unquote. I'll buy shirts instead of albums.

2+ Replies

AnArchaeologist (September 9, 2009)

attention music industry-

Become the clothing industry?

SouthernLovin (September 9, 2009)

I'd piss myself if I were a working musician taking my trade seriously and the music industry completely switched to Quote Unquote's format. I know the punk community doesn't see music as something that should be charged for, but regardless of your opinion on this, many musicians would like to do what they love for a living. Wouldn't you?

You can't live off of shirt sales unless they start selling your shit at Urban Outfitters or something.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

So pdf files and flashgames of Creed-pong? No thanks.

4+ Replies

wonton (September 9, 2009)

A green day game would be fun.
Just model it after pac man, Make billy joe pac man, the dots money, and the ghosts punk kids who call the selloutz.

I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

hot_cheetos (September 9, 2009)

Hahahaha "Creed-pong"!

Wouldn't it be fun to beat Scott Stapp's face around with some paddles for a bit? I might enjoy that...

Tom_Delonge (September 9, 2009)

Creed-Pong is a circular narrative in many ways where it kind of sums up the human race in a time capsule.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

For once dear sir, I hope you are wrong.

Banal242 (September 9, 2009)

More = DRM

ExtraCheesePizza (September 9, 2009)

Cool, this way I can print out liner notes and a cover when I burn a copy on cd...

14theroad (September 9, 2009)

They still don't get it.

2+ Replies

LookingForCorpses (September 9, 2009)

What exactly don't they "get?"

14theroad (September 9, 2009)

See header ^

LookingForCorpses (September 9, 2009)

I'm with you. We, however, are in a very small minority. Physical sales are a thing of the past. The majority of the music listening/purchasing public doesn't give a shit.

ahopeagainsthope (September 9, 2009)

Fuck this shit, I'm still buying physical copies of stuff.

1+ Reply

tonyhoag (September 10, 2009)

This.

red_eye_inc (September 9, 2009)

Boldly staring into the past

Dante3000 (rich) (September 9, 2009)

"More" refers to the ability to download Steve Jobs' dong directly to your mouth.
-Dante

4+ Replies

2Kings (September 9, 2009)

jizz cost extra

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

I must be getting old.

We called that a 'score' not 'more'

Banal242 (September 9, 2009)

At least that proves their Genius program is working.

Dante3000 (rich) (September 9, 2009)

Not until it can generate a good BJ playlist.
-Dante

DrGunn (September 9, 2009)

i'm kind of in support of things like this. i love the album as a format and i hate to think that we're moving away from it.

Cheesetits (September 9, 2009)

I can't believe Jack in the Box has fucking touch screens to order your food now. Well, at least the one I went into had one next to the counter. Although the bigger question is, why the fuck was I even in one of those.....

5+ Replies

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

Same reason as me last Thursday. Disgusting tacos that I could eat by the bundle.

Cheesetits (September 9, 2009)

I used to say that, now I can't stand their tacos for one second. I was just craving some kind of breakfast sandwich and it happened to have been the closest place.

14theroad (September 9, 2009)

Seriously, greasy tacos with SLICES OF CHEESE?

Cheesetits (September 9, 2009)

Interestingly, they now have chorizo breakfast burritos. Cutting edge.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

I'm listening....diarrhea before 7am whenever I want? Score!

AllAgesPete (September 9, 2009)

Its all about the Del Taco. fuck yeah.

scientistrock (September 9, 2009)

Better product will mean more sales, but that doesn't really apply here. itunes is just a retailer.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

Why the fuck does the new ipod have an fm transmitter? That defeats the reason for you to have a goddamn ipod.

19+ Replies

scientistrock (September 9, 2009)

They thought it would appeal to old luddites like yourself.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

No, then they would have put a turntable on it.

scientistrock (September 9, 2009)

I'm not saying they were smart about it.

Cheesetits (September 9, 2009)

Zune copiers.

ahopeagainsthope (September 9, 2009)

People are stupid and love free stuff like that. And the radio. I don't understand them.

I do love my ipod, though. It goes almost everywhere with me and I have a kickass dock/speaker set for it that I got for $40.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

Me too.

ahopeagainsthope (September 9, 2009)

I feel bad though, because I use my ipod/dock combo to listen to music at home instead of being cool like you guys and having a turntable. I want to get one, but at the same time I don't because I already have all of my favorite albums on CD and I'm not going to buy them again on vinyl, and if I get a turntable, I'm going to have to.

REALPUNX4LIFE (September 9, 2009)

Why does that defeat the purpose of having an Ipod? Don't people want listen to their Ipods in the car? Wouldn't an FM transmitter make it easier to listen to an Ipod in a car?

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

No. It plays FM, I should have said FM 'TUNER'. It doesn't play through your radio, it is one.

Tye (September 9, 2009)

why does it defeat the purpose of your ipod? not many people can have their entire music collection in their car.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

What the hell are you talking about?

If you have your ipod, why would you need FM radio?
Unless you are an idiot of course.

Tye (September 9, 2009)

sorry, i thought when you said transmitter you meant transmitter, like you pointed out above.

Tye (September 9, 2009)

either way there could be an amusing radio programme about box factories that you don't want to miss. i'm sure it's a cheap enough feature to implement.

14theroad (September 9, 2009)

Shouldn't you be building somebody's dream home?

LookingForCorpses (September 9, 2009)

Maybe I want to listen to a talk show or a sports broadcast?

scientistrock (September 9, 2009)

FM. not AM.

LookingForCorpses (September 10, 2009)

Umm yeah, there are FM channels that do both.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

Don't argue, there's no way you want to do either of those.

Banal242 (September 9, 2009)

I would appreciate HD Digital Radio on my iPod.

baldsteve (September 9, 2009)

What does that have that makes it special>

Banal242 (September 9, 2009)

Lots of free stations (which in theory means more types of music)

No static.

http://www.hdradio.com/find_an_hd_digital_radio_statio n.php

655321 (September 9, 2009)

NPR. I have a friend who purchased an mp3 player other than an ipod because it didn't have an FM radio, cause he listens to NPR a lot and wanted one with an FM "tuner."

However, people that really support iTunes and download individual songs, etc. probably listen to the radio a lot too.

drugmoney (September 9, 2009)

Ever think people listen to their ipod while walking,? I don't have Fm radio on my ipod but i kinda wish i did. That way i could keep up with sport scores, and listen to morning radio cause i love the pranks they do. Doing this while I'am walking around working. Just a thought

LookingForCorpses (September 10, 2009)

Makes sense to me.

HB_Dad (September 9, 2009)

I wish it had a digital TV Tuner to pick up over the air digital and HD television broadcasts. They could then go a step further and add DVR funtionality as well.

SouthernLovin (September 9, 2009)

CDs suck. Vinyl rules. Digital download is the future. Get used to it.

DrewXFishy (September 9, 2009)

buy cd's

HB_Dad (September 9, 2009)

What Apple SHOULD do is offer sending a physicall CD via mail free of charge when a full album is purchased via iTunes so that way you still get the physical CD and iTunes still gets the business. $9.99 is a fair price for a digital full-length album, but Hot Topic and Best Buy have new releases at this price every week for the physical CD. FYE in Torrance CA near my work is now offering ALL single disc CDs for $9.99 or less and if this deal is successful they may apply it to all stores. The question then becomes why buy a digital copy when you can own the actual CD for the same price or less?

2+ Replies

tonyhoag (September 10, 2009)

whenever I see the world ALL capitalized, I can't help but put the band ALL into context... and I always confuse myself.

LookingForCorpses (September 10, 2009)

Because most people don't care about owning the whole CD.

Wesley_Snipes (September 9, 2009)

^an event.

aPunkyBrewster (September 9, 2009)

I like this. Not having lyrics and liner notes was the one thing that would still make me buy actual CDs of a few of my favorite bands. I would gladly pay for those few in iTunes instead. I hope they make some way you can easily open those extras right through iTunes, i.e., an easy click to open the lyric sheet.

PatrickEwing (September 10, 2009)

Idiots, make the music cheaper and people will buy it. Making a PDF of the liner notes is not impressive. All of the artwork is digital already so the fact you are just distributing something that is already 15 minutes from ready to be packaged and distributed, I'm not impressed.

$5.00 is how much a digital album should cost. Anything else is insulting.

Features

Exclusive Streams

see more streams

Newest Reviews

see more reviews

Punknews.org Team

Other Places to Go

Punknews.org Flickr Pool

View All Photos