I was unsure when I first discovered it.. but i've accumulated about 200 dollars worth of exclusive and singles from iTunes..and most all of the stuff you can only get on their site.. and I dig that.
The quality of the songs are great. They read as 128kpbs... but these are the highest quality 128kbps i've ever heard.. quality is top notch if u ask me.
I did however read about them possibly raising the price on their merchandise (digital merchandise) to the new songs $1.20.. but last I heard apple was trying to prevent that from happening.. I hope so cause I am satisfied with the price and overall service I get from them..


its the best place anywhere to get single and B sides.. without a hefty price
[Edited 10/3/05 22:01pm]

i love itunes but only for 99 cents. if it gets to be anymore, it becomes pointless to buy the music there. a cd is about 12.99 - 15.99 here. if the songs are raised to 1.20 it would make it cheaper to buy it in stores.

SassyBritches said:

I think they meant on individual songs.. not an increased priced on cd's as a whole.. I think.. i'll have to dig that article back up.. but it wasnt a certianty for them to change.. I think record companies wanted to up the price for iTunes using their product.. and I believe they also said if that was to happen.. the older tracks will become cheaper, while the new one's stayed at the higher price..

hope that crap doesnt happen.. cause I cant afford that sh*t
[Edited 10/3/05 22:14pm]

i dig it

I'm just not ready to give up buying vinyl, cassettes, or CDs.

I like that I can physically pick up those items of music and transport them somewhere where I can THEN choose what I play them on (car deck, stereo).

With MP3's, it's like I would be paying for something I have to burn to cd-r to listen to, or have it ONLY on a portable device (ie. iPod). That's fine for stuff I can't get any other way, but it's my last resort.

I just got a iPod the other day and I haven't visited the store yet. I wish I could see what was there without having to download stuff here at work (no internet at home) to see if it's even worth checking out. Do you know if they have old R&B out of print stuff from the 70s? That's what I'm mostly interested in listening to.

CinisterCee said:

I would encourage you to see their exclusive section though.. perhaps some of your favorite artists have done songs exclusively for them (acoustic, alternate takes, rarities) and its only on there...

Thats why I use them.. I dont download normal disks I can get at the store.. I just get the stuff thats hard to come by.


OR if I dig one track, off a terrible album.. thats where iTunes comes in handy..

Stymie said:

I would go look..

This is off topic,but I remember see'in a Ray Charles out of print record (one of his very first) that was availible on iTunes..

Hope McCartney gets on board soon.. cause it would be nice to get exclusives and b sides from there.

same goes with Radiohead

i was addicted to buying 80's one hit wonders for awhile....now i buy initial releases (like sheryl crow's first song) before the album is released..

i do not purchase cd's from them though....i still want the plastic and the nice packaging....

i am an iTunes fanatic. I never buy CDs anymore if I can get it from iTunes. I love the exclusives, also.

sosgemini said:

iTunes may be the way for me to go then. I don't care about the packaging and I only want one to three tracks off an album anyway.

Stymie said:

It would certianly be the cheapest route to take if thats what your looking for.

They should have a one full cd discount price. Ten songs for ten bucks sucks.

2freaky4church1 said:

Yeah but that beats the hell out of eight songs for 17.99 or whatever the hell they're charging for a full-price CD these days.

I buy a CD every once in awhile for artists I'm really interested in reading liner notes or musician work for but it's too easy with iTunes. If I have a lightbulb moment at 3 o'clock in the morning to hear something, I can get it instantly.

I just don't have the room for more CDs anymore or I have to sell some to make room for more because housing and moving them has been a bitch.

I think it was Karl Lagerfeld who got rid of his entire CD collection and stored his collection on the various 40 iPods he owns.

It can also be scary because you don't actually see money change hands or physically charge the music so you can overspend if you're not careful.

I've bought stuff on i-tunes, I own an ipod. Almost all my music exists in MP3 form or has been converted into it. I am NOT an audiophile. Give me 128 or higher kpps MP3s and a good set of headphones and I'm happy. However, I usually try to download things for free and very rarely resort to buying them from itunes.

JackieBlue said:

what a nightmare!

CinisterCee said:

isnt he dead?



i almost bought a..uhhh..damn, i cant think of its name..its the real fancy smancy stereos that are more art then equipment?

anyway, they kept telling me how great it was i could store all my collection on the stereo and store the cds somewhere..

i thought it was the stupidist idear i had ever heard.

jacktheimprovident said:

Yeah I always attempt to get my music for free first and I've been pretty successful. Buying is a second option.


CDs are sooo ovah.

JackieBlue said:

and you guys are proud of this? stealing?

Who said anything about stealing? What about old fashioned borrowing?

I tend to look on iTunes first and if it's not there I'll look for it for free on a P2P network (I only use eMule). I refuse to register to multiple legal downloading software. It's far too fiddly and I don't want too many programmes installed on my computer.

Sometimes I just want the actual CD so look on Amazon Marketplace first, but I buy most new chart releases from the local supermarket/Woolworths when they're discounted in the first week.

Ellie said:

Yeah I'm learning that it is never cheaper than in the first week.

JackieBlue said:

sorry bub...i have a friend who is constantly asking me to "borrow" my cds..i refuse...

if you enjoy an artist, support them by purchasing the art.

sosgemini said:

I support the artists I like by going to their concerts and buying their DVDs and when I want, I buy their CDs or purchase from iTunes. I borrow (and lend to) two people--my best friend and my SO--usually music or an artist I'm not familiar with. I'm over getting shafted for a $17.99 CD that's crap. Reviews and 30-second snippets don't always cut it.

I'm also lucky to have friends who send me music from the UK and Japan without my asking. That's their choice and I'm not going to turn it down.
[Edited 10/4/05 15:02pm]

I've bought about 25 tracks in the past month. Far too many. I like it though. Could be much better. Get out of print stuff and imports on there.

sosgemini said:

I'm over the P2P thing. It was great mostly for rare stuff that you couldn't buy. Now I don't do it.

That being said, let the new Madonna song out already! It's not like we aren't going to buy it. Come on.....

SassyBritches said:

I wouldn't buy a CD fromm there. I'd rather get it at the store! The only full album I've bought on there so far is Britney's new "Chaotic" CD...it's basically all the full bonus disc you get for buying the DVD. All new songs. They're OK. I kind of regret it.

I'm scared to add up my ITunes receipts