iTunes goes retro with digital 45s
As a throwback to the old days of the two-song 45 rpm vinyl record, the iTunes Store launched a new “D45” section Tuesday, featuring discounted prices on packs of two digital song downloads.
Just like old 45s, the iTunes D45 selection includes a popular single accompanied by a B-side song. Prices on the D45s range from $1.49 to $1.99.
“iTunes is bringing this concept to a new age with D45s – two great tracks at an equally great price,” the iTunes Store reads.
Music company EMI announced Tuesday that the release of D45s marks the 60th anniversary of the 45 single record. The digital bundles will be sold exclusively by iTunes through July 27. After that, they will be available for purchase from “all major digital service providers.”
“More than 35 digital singles will launch the campaign,” the EMI press release states, “including original 45 single A-sides and B-sides and top hits by Coldplay, David Bowie, R.E.M., Poison, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dean Martin, Duran Duran, Nat King Cole, Blondie, and Billy Idol, among others.”
The D45 section represents another opportunity for record labels to to restructure pricing on music sold on the iTunes Store. Last year, through negotiations, the record companies leveraged flexibility on pricing.
Then, earlier this year, Apple removed restrictive digital rights management fingerprints from all of the songs it sells, allowing consumers greater flexibility as well.
This year, Apple began charging for music based on what the music labels charge Apple. Songs are available at three price points: 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29. Most albums are priced $9.99.
Artists included in the new D45 selection range from Foreigner to Rod Stewart to the recently-deceased “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson.
The Van Morrison “Brown Eyed Girl” D45 includes the title track, as well as the B-side, “Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye).” Purchased separately, the title track and B-side would cost $2.28, but the D45 will run customers $1.49.
Just like old 45s, the iTunes D45 selection includes a popular single accompanied by a B-side song. Prices on the D45s range from $1.49 to $1.99.
“iTunes is bringing this concept to a new age with D45s – two great tracks at an equally great price,” the iTunes Store reads.
Music company EMI announced Tuesday that the release of D45s marks the 60th anniversary of the 45 single record. The digital bundles will be sold exclusively by iTunes through July 27. After that, they will be available for purchase from “all major digital service providers.”
“More than 35 digital singles will launch the campaign,” the EMI press release states, “including original 45 single A-sides and B-sides and top hits by Coldplay, David Bowie, R.E.M., Poison, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dean Martin, Duran Duran, Nat King Cole, Blondie, and Billy Idol, among others.”
The D45 section represents another opportunity for record labels to to restructure pricing on music sold on the iTunes Store. Last year, through negotiations, the record companies leveraged flexibility on pricing.
Then, earlier this year, Apple removed restrictive digital rights management fingerprints from all of the songs it sells, allowing consumers greater flexibility as well.
This year, Apple began charging for music based on what the music labels charge Apple. Songs are available at three price points: 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29. Most albums are priced $9.99.
Artists included in the new D45 selection range from Foreigner to Rod Stewart to the recently-deceased “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson.
The Van Morrison “Brown Eyed Girl” D45 includes the title track, as well as the B-side, “Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye).” Purchased separately, the title track and B-side would cost $2.28, but the D45 will run customers $1.49.
Comments
so it's just an album that contains 2 songs?
Essentially, you get better pricing than for 2 singles.
so it's just an album that contains 2 songs?
Essentially, you get better pricing than for 2 singles.
YES
NO
You get the old style > B < SIDES . Some 'B' sides never made it to the albums so they got lost. Pink Floyd has a bunch of these.
9
Apple keeps on trucking
also, it will give people a good deal on exploring more of an artist than just a single song. often times in the past, there were gem's as b-sides. also... once in a blue moon a b-side would become a classic favorite of fans in concerts.
Here's that article.
Around the same time, Universal Music Group and Apple were in a showdown over fixed 99-cent pricing as the chairman of Warner Music Group stated the labels' position (speaking about their own artists) that "not every song, not every artist, not every album is created equal." The labels wanted to price hot new tracks at higher prices to maximize profits at the height of their popularity. When Apple refused to budge, Universal threatened to pull its songs once the contract expired.
It was the record companies that finally convinced Apple to offer variable pricing.
Apple fought hard to keep the single-price for all music. They finally caved due in part to other online music stores came online (namely Amazon), as well as the labels weren't letting Apple let go of DRM without the variable pricing, etc...
So it will be interesting to see how many people, when given the choice, will either just buy the the A track for $1.29 or pay a little extra to get the B track, too.
Of course, they could stop selling the A track as an individual purchase and only offer it in conjunction with the B track package. Which gets us to the "bundling" that Apple always fought so hard against.
We'll see what happens...
How could they misspell "Billie Jean"?
Because they were probably popping pills just like the 'king of pop'.
To me, it's a shame that this is generally being reported as some kind of "new format" instead of what it really is, which is a way to get older folks onboard the big iTunes train by appealing to their nostalgia.
I guess this is a neat idea for some of the older folks, but it strikes me as an obvious marketing gimick.
To me, it's a shame that this is generally being reported as some kind of "new format" instead of what it really is, which is a way to get older folks onboard the big iTunes train by appealing to their nostalgia.
On the contrary, I think it's a way to get the younger "folks" to have a better and broader taste in music. To play something other then brown eyed girl for the millionth time and maybe move into an artists back catalog.
See, like my mom, this marketing ploy goes both ways.
YES
NO
You get the old style > B < SIDES . Some 'B' sides never made it to the albums so they got lost. Pink Floyd has a bunch of these.
9
Apple keeps on trucking
Last time I checked $1.49 < $2.28, So yes you DO get better pricing buying the D45 than the songs separately.
Last time I checked $1.49 < $2.28, So yes you DO get better pricing buying the D45 than the songs separately.
The b sides were sometimes great long lost songs . Like sleeping on the ground .. blind faith
On the contrary, I think it's a way to get the younger "folks" to have a better and broader taste in music. To play something other then brown eyed girl for the millionth time and maybe move into an artists back catalog.
See, like my mom, this marketing ploy goes both ways.
Your missing the obvious here in that "singles" and "EPs" and similar formats have been available on iTunes almost since the service started. They also perform that function. However, while the "EP" is a nostalgic format from the 80's and 90's, and the 45 is the nostalgic format from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. That's the only difference.
Further, the EP was the prevalent format for this kind of thing when iTunes first started up so there is some logic to continuing with it, whereas the 45 was already 20 years obsolete at that point. This is the resurrection of an artificial format into the digital realm, that does nothing different from digital formats that already exist, and only for the purposes of nostalgia.
For most of the titles I looked at, it seems like they are recreating particular 45 records from the past complete with the B-Side, even if the B-side never sold very well. Almost all the titles seem to be between 35 and 50 years old. It's great for collectors, and a boon to the older folks but this is not something intended for the kids at all.
Every once in awhile there was a charm on the b-side or because people played the a-side all the time then would listen to the b-side and begin to like it or see the value in it.
What it looks like apple is doing is take those song in the catalog which are not selling making it a b-side and mark the price up more for the a-side song and make you think you getting more. It just another way for apple and the record label to make money on idle assets sitting on their servers not making money for them.