Apple homepage and Johnny Cash

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I checked Apple's site today, off and on (as I always do), kinda expecting them to put something up - if only for the day - about Johnny Cash.



I know they're promoting the iPods and all with the bold, colorful new designs, but still...



I remember when the actor and dancer Gregory Hines died a few weeks back, Apple had a photo of him dancing on their front page, for several days in fact. And I'd just about bet my next 5 or 6 paychecks that Mr. Cash enjoyed a wider range of fans and had a greater impact on culture, music, entertainment, etc. than the talented Mr. Hines (by no means running down Hines...just stating the obvious).



I could understand if it was Hank Williams, Jr. or a fellow dipshit of that caliber. But Cash goes WAY beyond being just a country music singer (in the traditional, cheesy sense often conjured up by non-fans of the genre).



As we all know, Cash has enjoyed MUCH success and acclaim the past decade or so with "the kids", as it were. Seems, if for no other reason than that, Apple would give the man some well-deserved front page time. Plus, Apple and Cash both share a bit of a maverick/rebel, "outside the mainstream" vibe, don't they?



In any case, I'll take a guy singing about prison over a tap dancer ANY day.







Just thought it was an odd - and glaring - omission, that's all.



BTW, on a related note: I thought they might even put him front and center - again, if only for a day or so - at the iTunes Music Store main splash page in iTunes. If you do a search for Johnny Cash, you can go to his section and there's a nice little comment there, acknowledging his passing. But they're carrying 32 of his albums and I'd imagine many people are probably purchasing the hell out of that stuff tonight and over the weekend! Seemed like a no-brainer to me to put him on the front page for a day or two. Tons of people are going to go there anyway...make it easy for them.



Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Gregory Hines was an Apple Master.



    Johnny Cash was merely(!!!) a legend.



    FWIW, I am mourning Cash's death far more than Hines', and I've taken a great deal of comfort in the fact that nearly every store and restaurant I walked into today had Cash on the stereo.



    I also posted a little tribute on the band's site.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Well, that's kinda what I was getting at.







    Apple Master or not, Cash was a notch or two above most. I just assumed Apple would acknowledge it (for the reasons I mention above). BTW, George Harrison wasn't an Apple Master...HE was given front-page placement when he passed away.



    Cash EASILY gets put up there, along with any Beatle (group and solo), in terms of impact, contributions, icon status, success, sales, hits, popularity, etc.



    Yeah, he was truly, truly one of my all-time favorites. I have to say that a couple of my earliest memories are of hearing and seeing him as a little boy: both on TV and coming out of the 8-track player in my parent's and grandparent's cars.







    I knew - and liked - Cash WAY before I was ever aware of The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Van Morrison, Tom Petty, etc. So, to me, it all kinda goes back to him. Even though I knew it was coming, it still didn't sting any less.



    Some people, for whatever reason, you just don't imagine them becoming old and going away. He was one of those people. You just go "yeah, Johnny Cash...been around forever, ain't goin' anywhere".



    Then when he does, it's quite an "ouch...well that's no good!"







    He was the man, no doubt.
  • Reply 3 of 16
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    hey guys, you know they might actually have to get permission from the remaining family to do such a thing. it's not just like someone at apple can grab a photo, scan it and pop it onto the home page. i'm just saying maybe cut them some slack for a day or two -- heck, i wouldn't want to be the one to ask if i could honor him by putting up a picture of him on my commercial music sales site. i'd feel like a vulture...
  • Reply 4 of 16
    Yeah, I checked apple.com earlier today thinking they might put something up. At first I felt like they should have, but then I remembered that Gregory hines loved Apples, and was a huge mac-evangalist, so seeing as johhny cash was, for our purposes, indifferent to computing, there was less incentive for apple.com to tribute him.





    however, that said, I do feel that he deserves recognition regardless. And things like A tribute on the homepage of your company gain you major rep points in the hip scene.









    RIP, Johnny
  • Reply 5 of 16
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rok hey guys, you know they might actually have to get permission from the remaining family to do such a thing. it's not just like someone at apple can grab a photo, scan it and pop it onto the home page.



    You 100% certain about that? Wouldn't that - and I don't know, just asking - fall under some sort of "news-oriented, fair usage" type of thing? Hell, rok...the man's picture has been EVERYWHERE today (take a quick peek at cnn.com, VH1.com, rollingstone.com, cmt.com, Eonline.com, etc. Not to mention all the news and entertainment shows earlier this evening. Did they all go through this process you mention?







    Quote:

    i'm just saying maybe cut them some slack for a day or two



    Fine. I'll give them until Monday...then I'm making some calls.



    As for the music store thing...again, you see people die all the time and their face/photo gets put on news, E!, VH1, etc. I don't know if explicit permission is required to just put a photo, maybe some nice words and a 1932-2003 graphic? And that would, I imagine, include the music store. Not being a vulture at all. More like "hey, a legend and an icon just left us...why don't you go and learn what made him that? Here are 32 of his recordings".



    That's how I see it, anyway.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Oh, they'd definitely win all kinds of points from me for making their home page a tribute to Cash. He's one of the absolute giants in American music, and one of my biggest influences.



    I think part of it is that Steve's own musical inclinations weigh heavily on who appears. He's a confirmed Beatles fan, but I'm not sure how much he follows the Man in Black, despite the similar wardrobe.



    At least Salon.com ran a tribute to him that captures his appeal beautifully.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Cash was the bomb.



    They've already reissued a huge portion of his catalog, and they'd already planned a 5 disc box set, 4 discs worth of unreleased material from the last four albums on American Recordings. So if you ever needed an excuse to discover what he had to offer, there's no better time.



    Damn, could he kick ass.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates

    You 100% certain about that? Wouldn't that - and I don't know, just asking - fall under some sort of "news-oriented, fair usage" type of thing? Hell, rok...the man's picture has been EVERYWHERE today (take a quick peek at cnn.com, VH1.com, rollingstone.com, cmt.com, Eonline.com, etc. Not to mention all the news and entertainment shows earlier this evening. Did they all go through this process you mention?



    As for the music store thing...again, you see people die all the time and their face/photo gets put on news, E!, VH1, etc. I don't know if explicit permission is required to just put a photo, maybe some nice words and a 1932-2003 graphic? And that would, I imagine, include the music store. Not being a vulture at all. More like "hey, a legend and an icon just left us...why don't you go and learn what made him that? Here are 32 of his recordings".



    That's how I see it, anyway.




    I think it's a little murky. News organizations can obviously publish photos of people in the course of covering the news. But, on the other hand, it is well established that a company cannot use a person's likeness in an advertisement without authorization. That is not considered "fair use." Into which of those two categories would a Cash tribute on Apple.com (which is clearly a commercial site, not a news site) fall? One could argue either way.



    The agreements with the record companies that allow Apple to sell music likely include some kind of deal that allows Apple to use artists' images on the store site, though. And probably on Apple.com to promote the store. So there's that.



    But if I'm Apple, I'd call the family to ask for permission -- out of courtesy and respect if not legal obligation.



    Anyway ... I find it curious that you're considering it an omission that Apple hasn't put up a Cash tribute. Why the expectation? That was what was so wonderful about the Harrison tribute -- it was unexpected and without obligation. If Apple becomes obligated in our eyes to put up these tributes whenever a respected creative artist dies, it loses something.



    It might all come down the the fact that Apple had a prior relationship with Harrison and Hines but not Cash. It hurts more to lose a friend.
  • Reply 9 of 16
    russsrusss Posts: 115member
    From the iTunes Music Store front page:



  • Reply 10 of 16
    Apple can't be a news service for the recently deceased. If they were to post on their front page every "legend" that died in a year, that would be at least a few dozen days with them not promoting their product and remembering the deceased. I mean Johnny Cash was huge and everything, but Apple is running a business and they have to worry about their products. Gregory hines had alot to do with the company. George Harrison was an f'ing beatle for crying out loud. Thats like one notch below or above God depending on who you ask. (im not saying johnny cash wasn't very influential but lets not kid ourselves here just cause we loved the guy).
  • Reply 11 of 16
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    \



    Okay, whatever.
  • Reply 12 of 16
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by CaseCom Anyway ... I find it curious that you're considering it an omission that Apple hasn't put up a Cash tribute. Why the expectation?







    Do you not read? I think I stated quite clearly the "expectation".



    As for the other guy, no I DON'T expect Apple to become a tribute-giver to every "creative person" that dies. Don't be ridiculous and make silly, sweeping statements to try and drive home your point. That's AppleOutsider tactics!







    There are but a handful of people I'd consider worthy of the treatment. Not Chubby Checker, not Porter Wagonner, not Ace Frehley, okay? And sure as hell not 50 Cent, Fred Durst or Kenny Chesney.







    I, too, wouldn't be nuts about seeing Apple's front page taken over by a "born-died" graphic every few days. Give me a break.



    But if you don't see the reason behind this particular one, then I can't help you. You've missed out, fan or not.



  • Reply 13 of 16
    rageousrageous Posts: 2,170member
    I love Johnny Cash. He was such a great artist it's difficult to articulate.



    That being said I think it's best the tribute graphic is left to iTMS. Cash wasn't affiliated with Apple Computer so to put it on iTMS instead of apple.com seems appropriate. Not to mention the problem with being sued by the other Apple.



    As much as I love the man in black, sticking him on the front of apple.com seems like attention whoring to me.
  • Reply 14 of 16
    Apple is a commercial site maintained to sell computers, music, etc. Using Johnny Cash's image without permission would not fall under "fair use". Sorry. Mr. Cash is getting plenty of press elsewhere. He will be missed (as will the "tap dancer").
  • Reply 15 of 16
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Yeah I have no idea why Apple would ever put a tribute to Johnny Cash on its web site.





    Why not John Ritter too? Sorry pscates, I know this "Apple for the common people" - Target, NASCAR, etc. - is your hobby horse, but this one misses the mark.

  • Reply 16 of 16
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates

    Do you not read?



    You stated quite clearly that you think Johnny Cash was a great artist (as do I) and deserves an Apple.com tribute. But underlying that is an assumption that creative artists of a certain stature should, as a matter of course, receive an Apple.com tribute upon their deaths. That's what I don't get.
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