iTMS Japan tops 1M downloads

geekdreams

According to Business Week, the iTMS in Japan got 1M downloads in its first four days:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan...h_down&chan=tc



This, even without one of the biggest labels in the country (Sony) and with hard-drive based iPods not dominating the market the way they have in North America & Europe (as far as I know).



Perhaps this success will spur Apple to release the AU/NZ store sans-Sony as well?

benjamin_r

Quote:

Originally posted by geekdreams

According to Business Week, the iTMS in Japan got 1M downloads in its first four days:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan...h_down&chan=tc



This, even without one of the biggest labels in the country (Sony) and with hard-drive based iPods not dominating the market the way they have in North America & Europe (as far as I know).



Perhaps this success will spur Apple to release the AU/NZ store sans-Sony as well?

We can only hope my friend!....

beigeuser

These results are amazing considering that ITMS Japan does not stock the most popular songs. Looking at the Oricon Top 20 single charts, ITMS only has 1 song that made it in the list. And to rub things in, the only available song is #20 on the list.



The current surge of sales are the hardcore fans buying the ITMS exclusive tracks and the curious Japanese experimenting with a new service. Apple Japan needs to get more songs soon if it wants to sustain this pace.

dogcow

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/050810/japan_itunes.html?.v=3



Some Japanese artists are defying their contracts and putting their music on iTunes anyway. Sony music's own stubbornness could ultimately be their end.



While I understand that letting Apple sell Sony music is helping the competition, at the same time look at all the money they are losing in sales - on a daily basis. Obviously the japanese market wants to use services such as iTunes. Quite a departure from a few years ago when record labels would do anything for customers to use legal alternatives.