I agree to a certain extent, but, like I said, it is a non-issue for the vast majority of people who use iTunes. I have downloaded a few iTunes albums in my day, and have not had any issues personally, but I could see how an issue could arise if I wanted to stream music on a PS3 or make illegal copies for my friends.

justinpe

dkoemans

Pull your finger out, Amazon.

Discosis

opus13

Sometimes it's cheaper on Amazon or eMusic, sometimes only available on iTunes. The bottom line is most of the songs I buy are .99 each, so what the hell do I care where it comes from.

And I like to store my music in mp3 format for portability. So for the protected songs I do purchase thru iTunes I use DRM Dumpster to effortlessly perform the conversion.

marzer

GhoS

justrick

navstar

I never really cared about DRM until i got a PS3 and started trying to utilize the media server elements of it to stream music from my PC to the PS3. All of the music i have actually purchased from ITunes can't be streamed... Thanks Mr.Jobs, Thank you very much.

gaston213

I have a friend who downloads from itunes all the time, and knows she can't move/share the music, but doesn't know what DRM is and doesn't even think about downloading from Amazon

poorGeek

Why wouldn't you purchase from AMAZON? I made the switch and have been pretty thrilled by it. Only time i still resort ot Itunes is if amazon doesn't carry something i am looking for...

gaston213

Spiny Norman

And - for the music execs out there - I have bought more music since Amazon added MP3 download than I have in the last 3 years combined.

as for iTunes, tried it once, hated it, deleted it. And now I have the pleasure of persistant and instistant notifications of patches and updates - that won't go away. Oh and when I want to update the QuickTime, it keeps giving me iTunes again and again - even when I tell it not too. Sounds like the Microsoft model of software distribution to me. Grrr...

wallfollower

NDub

that convientiently puts an extra
$2-3 in your pocket each time you buy a full album.

thecoleorton

thecoleorton

Which is where the problem lies...Most people do not know what DRM means or is and don't see iTunes as broken because of it. But if you explain to the average joe why DRM is bad and that iTunes is infected with it...I can almost guarantee you most would switch.

SkoGoody

oxymoron2007

el bryanto

MP3 is also about 15 years old, lossy, chunky, and not as sophisticated as MP4/AAC.

If I DO ever go with a non-iPod player, I can simply convert all my protected AAC files to unprotected ones from the CDs I burn when I buy the tracks in the first place. My whole music collection is on CDs, in a box in my storage room. If the protected AACs ever don't work for me, I have backups of all those tracks, anyway.

Finally, why should I navigate away from iTunes to an online store, go through their purchase process, download, and then transfer when iTunes will do it all in one step?

That being said, I do use alternative means to get music I cannot find on iTunes. I'm not picky. Amazon, eMusic, CDBaby, etc... They're all OK.

ZeroCorpse

but this doesnt apply to itunes only - all drm gimps out there.. fark off!!

keysereble

warf0x0r

justinpe

justrick

moose_knuckle

justinpe

justinpe

I find using both painful and annoying. Apple has built the better mousetrap and I like the ecosystem.

That said? I never buy more than 2 songs off of an album from iTunes. If I need more than that, I buy the CD.

ComicDork

@justinpe: is this article about music stores or OSs? how did MS come into this?

my point is actually true - i actualy had to show an itunes user the freeness of amazon for her to believe it. had to show her "this file is not protected". this is someone who once had to spend 2 weeks on the phone to use her music (she paid for) on her newly purchased pc.

keysereble

Actually Leopard OSX isn't that great, it's just a bit better than Vista. That said, it's not good enough to justify using Office 2008 or having to install Windows anyway to run Office 2003 or 2007 or play any decent games.

Don't make the false assumption that people haven't tried a number of operating systems.

Sleeper_Service

justinpe

Ultimately the higher bitrate, lower cost, and compatibility with my non-AAC playing DAP will keep me with Amazon though.

1roll20s

HAHA!

keysereble

You do realise that MS don't own Amazon, right?

Sleeper_Service

Not to mention, the iPod itself is the biggest reason. I know all about DRM and why it sucks, but I still choose the iTMS simply because the DRM doesn't really restrict my listening. Works fine on my computer and my iPod so what do I care? It's the IDEA of DRM I don't like... not the implementation, and for people like my mother who have an iPod they would have no idea why non-DRM is "better" for them.

RoCKSTaH53

That said, I wish Amazon had an App instead of just the web interface. It's not stellar. But they are great quality MP3s with no software-hardware locking. (I'm glaring at you, Apple!)

asten77

NightElfMohawk

So... ummm... convenience, and a lack of understanding how DRM affects you would be my answer.

Sbudda

kahibbi

(eMusic for the win!)

Crashproof

Keep giving more money to M$ and Chairman Bill, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to provide you with another Vista/Zune.

eraserosx

rvanward

Brandson

levingst

Narual

DMcGrew

dsevil

f1sh3r

f1sh3r

u_nick

Off the top of my head (i'm sure these have been said at some point)

The thing that causes me to not shop at Amazon is lack of selection sometimes I simply can't find it on Amazon and iTunes has it...

The other is ease of use with the program already open if I think of some song I want to hear iTunes allows for a much easier impulse buy...

Lastly for the common consumer I'm not sure anyone knows that you can buy songs from Amazon...everyone I have ever told about it...has come as new information to them.

uncreativeironicname

dakarichs

madoublet

Ever since I knew about Amazon selling DRM-free music I always head there first and only buy from iTunes when the track isn't available on Amazon.

imaginaryplaya'

drummerjoe

SimpleNate

pluckyou2

For those making the argument for consumer activism in buying DRM free tracks, you can't be naive enough to not "get" that the labels have purposely set up Amazon with a competitive advantage because they want to bring iTunes down a notch.

haniel

People buy iPods. The iPod information they get with it tells them to use iTunes. So they use iTunes. Plus no one knows about amazon's mp3 store. They havent advertised it enough. You can't just MAKE a better product and hope it wins. You do actually have to advertise it. Especially going against Apple.

theespacepope

k4ffy

1) Amazon has only been going since September last year. Inertia takes time to overcome.
2) The interface needs improved. Remember the early incarnatons of iTunes were pretty horrible too.
3) There hasn't as yet been an aggressive marketing campaign. Imagine if Amazon did a 'Mac vs PC' style campaign showing all the weaknesses of iTunes, for example. Of course, there's no point in doing a serious campaign until you're sure of your product which, as explained in 2 above, Amazon aren't yet.
4) Distribution. Amazon is still very much at proof of concept stage. Once they get the model right expect a global launch and the marketing campaign mentioned in 3 above.

Early days yet.

Sleeper_Service

GHETTO.CHiLD

saf1967

Rususeruru

If they manage to do so, then there will be no one with sufficient leverage to stand up to them, and then future digital music contracts will be DRM'ed to the max.

ghmlco

jackbrown

This, however, is because I am an anal music retard-geek who represents maybe <1% of the music market. Most people want the iTunes put music on their iPod.. This it does very very well..

If you don't know what DRM is, you don't care about Amazon MP3 and won't switch away from the built in iTunes store.

I still love Amazon's service and hope they stick with it (and advertise more)..

neutrino15

G-Lumps

michaelb1

DW

Bc of marketing and life span, that's why. Just last week, someone expressed shock that they didn't know that there were other mp3 players/software like iPod + iTunes. Despite Amazon's success, most people haven't heard of it yet. iTunes has been around long enough to get marketing in their pocket. Heck, even Fox News reports when a big news version of iTunes is released.

Also, grabbing 2nd place after only being "fully launched" for 2 months is pretty good on Amazon's part. Now, like I said, they need to up their marketing. Not everyone remembers old Superbowl commercials :)

DW

Harlan

lastgene

aquaosx

maxcalvino

crunkbear

Most iTunes bashing is from people who are being paid to do so, including this site. The music industry used to be owned by musicians, recording engineers, and wealthy patrons of music. As of the early 70's, big nasty corporations bought up all the music labels, to control the "youth market" and for political and financial power.

Apple wants to return the music business back to musicians. The labels and RIAA will use any means to stop Apple. There is no one they can't buy, and nothing they won't do to weaken Apples position.

zato3

2) Have no idea/conserns of what DRM is or does

3) there are other services?

4) see #1

8026mn

tzakiel

@ferrdidly: I work for Apple/iTunes.

someToast

Until the labels pull their heads out and give us DRM-free music at high bitrates from *all* sources, I'm not tossing money into their coffers. Period.

LagunaSol

Ethan Allison

SouDesuKa

davebarnes

In the end I don't use either service. I rip CDs or hum to myself. That's cheap and easy.

And my ipod broke today. What a piece of junk.

I chipped a tooth, too. bitch bitch bitch

coketown

uptonogood

Oh, sorry, I must be a drama queen for wanting to use something I paid for the way I want to use it without having to go some convoluted and lossy burning/ripping procedure.

Something tells me you'll be singing a different tune should you ever find a device you like other than an iPod.

bpatten

If someone wants to create their own version of that store, even more fantastic (my phones jailbroken, bring it on!). Better yet, how about a comparison store aggregation. Show me the iTunes price and the Amazon price side by side.

jammyman34

Mathray

jammyman34

cayton

Blue387

quantumbits

These people probably aren't aware of the limitations or lock-downs on their purchases and will only realize why a closed DRM system is a waste of time and money years later- (if) they decide to change over to a different MP3 player.

I imagine this is something that will take time because, as other posters have pointed out, people are used to using iTunes all-in-one solution.

RE: His_Shadow

I would hardly call Apple's DRM the least restrictive. I've bought a whole bevy of reasonably high-end MP3 players in the past and if Apple's DRM was as open as it should be, my tracks would have played flawlessly on all of them, which they did not.

iTunes works like shit on Windows which is why I switched back to WMP. If it were able to handle purchases as quickly and easily using the Amazon MP3 service..I would probably be inclined to buy more music.

legacye

lightningrob

Heavybell

mferrari

wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!

"Boobus Americanus"

lifterus

Wow. So horrid for you. My god it's like torture.

His_Shadow

> If something is simple, relativly cheap
> and it works, most people won't even
> bother to look for anything else.

Add to that the fact that Apple has the least restrictive DRM available and yeah, if it works and it doesn't get in your way, what's the problem?

His_Shadow

The DRM on the iTunes store doesn't bug me (I have 3 computers maximum that I listen to my music on, so I don't get anywhere near the 5 computer limit). In addition, why would I switch from something that works to something else that works equally as well (for me)? There's no point in change just for the sake of change.

iStig

The best arrangement is buying through Pandora's Amazon link. I hear music I like, and two clicks later it's in my iTunes library.

ejl10

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Doctor_Memory

apeguero

weatherman

thechansen

jjw13

Most people who still buy on iTunes are simply ignorant. They don't realize the mess they're getting themselves into when they decide later to move computers or switch to other devices. and they just don't know any better. And that's fine; Amazon needs to do a better job of educating and advertising (Pepsi points just aren't cutting it). Amazon needs a comprehensive, vicously anti-Apple campaign to really distinguish them from iTunes. I'm talking about really putting the screws to 'em - a knock down, drag out, publicity getting, mud-slinging fight. Think Hillary vs. Obama.

The other iTunes users, those who should know better, those Apple loyalists & apologists... well, there's just no excuse and there's no reasoning with them. They'll learn their lesson sooner or later, but until then they are just pitiable.

weatherman

VaccaFoeda

I already have itunes on my pc, so it's convenient, and .......

the main reason is, it's really easy to remove the DRM from itunes music so it's not really an issue anyway. You don't even need any other software other than the itunes software already provided.

VaccaFoeda

Andham

CarbonatedWater

HaloZero

graverobber- Two BEER minimum

callit

jigsta1205

By the way, I'm doing a survey on digital music for a class at MIT. I'm giving $5 free credit on Amie Street to anyone who fills it. Check it out at:
[www.surveymonkey.com]

biz_from_mit

Lstormy10

Lstormy10

Lstormy10

maybe amazon should try MARKETING, what a novel concept!

outside of blogs, i haven't seen a single mention of Amazon's drm-free music. gift card which u can buy at REAL STORES would also be nice for those of us without a credit card (because we are too young, not because we have crappy credit). most of my friends won't buy from amazon b/c they dont have a credit card.

marksman7328

Jitty

tanya.peacock

amazon's penetration will hover around the market penetration of "other brands'" music players... and that is all.

oakie

MillardFillmore

clevin

your player must be many, many years old if you can't play mp4 (aac). it's been around since the birth of itunes.

now yes, the fairplay drm wrapped acc (protected tracks) don't play on everything, but drm-free mp4 (aac) plays on most every modern player and are much smaller file size so you can fit more.

so if you keep converting aac tracks to mp3, then you are downgrading the quality and shorting yourself on quantity.

write4truth

So if you're still buying from iTunes, why haven't you switched?

I prefer iTunes Plus for the AAC format and higher bitrate, but I'll get the album at Amazon if my only iTunes option is DRM'd.

iTunes Plus -> Amazon MP3 -> CD from independent local music store -> CD from online store

P.S. @chicago111: I know... actually paying for something I'll enjoy and use for years? I'm such a sap.

someToast

dOk

01.moore

thechansen

francisrizzo3

bigMoneyMIKE

noah

quesadillaap

EASE of use, MARKETING and the PERCEPTION that your shit is best, is Marketing 101.

bigMoneyMIKE

Are you fucking serious and pay a monthly subscription fee? Yeah, that definitely makes it the best music site!

GulfVetSAF

Shabbis

Mandatory_Field

pure241

chicago111

Apple's true genius is not in making the difficult tasks easy. It is in making the easy tasks even easier.

Plus, while I do have a position on DRM issues in general (and so should probably be voting with my $$$), on a personal level, I just don't really care all that much.

92BuickLeSabre

What is most interesting is that digital music sales are increasing, the studios are not crumbling iTS they way they wanted to, and the majority of Amazon users are using iPod (aka: Apple's bread-n-butter) with their music. Apple is winning here.

Leonard Nimrod

I'm curious because where I work I know a patterns has been set, one that I developed myself a couple a weeks after Amazon starting selling music online. I go to the iTunes store to search for new music each week. If it is available without DRM I buy it there. If not, I head over to Amazon to buy it. Amazon does a lousy job of showcasing music but you can't beat the lack of DRM.

davidwb

mykalt45

RE-L

But seriously - their downloading app sucks moose testicles. (to be fair, so does emusic's...)

Pixelologist