As expected, Apple launched its iTunes Music Store in Australia on Tuesday, but Sony BMG continues to play hardball, exercising its major-label status to hamper Apple's catalogue in multiple countries.
The iTunes Music Store is now available in 21 countries. Despite Sony's reluctance to join the party, Apple is offering Australian music fans access to a million-song catalogue, alongside more than 1,000 music videos.
Sadly, New Zealand music fans remain out of the loop - at least for now.
Prices are AUS$1.69 per song and AUS$3.39 per video. Most albums cost AUS$16.99
I dunno why this is, but alas it is so. That'll explain the lack of fanfare here. Rumours say maybe in the new year and then if we believe the rumours concerning I-Tunes in NZ then we'd have seen a local branch here many many months ago.
I'd like to say I'm gutted but I'm not, cause I wouldn't be using the place anyway.
As for Sony BMG stance of not signing up, I can't say I blame em, if there holding out means that Apple will give them and the others that could benefit from their bargaining power better returns I'd suggest this is a good thing for the business of music. As I doubt I'll ever be a I-Tunes regular I am more than happy to back em here.
Anyone caught the latest buzz on Sony BMG and the copy protection software farce they've just unleashed? Stupid, stupid, stupid...... I can understand the rationale behind trying to protect their copywrites and restrict the unauthorised copying of purchased CDs - who couldn't. Yet the continuation of these big businesses on copy protection measures that are at best bloody irritating for them that have parted with their hard earned and more often than not, as in this case, the copy protection measures are just so, um, crap. They should know better and they should have learnt something one would think for previous fiascos similar to this?
Of course this coming from the same company that only one year ago stated they were abandoning copy protection.
One things for sure this latest round of red cheeks at SonyBMG has only lead to more irrate music and technology fans. Nice one chaps! I'll be sexist here, as I doubt a woman would be so bloody stupid, or arrogent.
At some point these mega businesses have to learn to take the hit on the chin, people will copy CDs no matter what they try, its become a point of pride for many a hacker to beat these systems and usually it only takes a few hours from the launch of a new system for some 12 year old to crack it.
Waste of time, effort and money - I guess people have to be seen to do their job as that is corporate culture but a tiny bit of common sense please. Maybe instead of puring money into copy protection you could have a staff picnic or maybe, just maybe, A&R some fresh new talent and release a killer record... you know that core business lark, stop fucking off music fans and them casual buyers who are your bread and butter, you muppets. No offense is meant by using the term muppet to Muppet fans, sorry Belinda.
Damn, I came on here this morning to talk about the wonderful thing that friendship is and here I am ranting. With that I shall bugger off and have me a coffee and save my happy thoughts for another day.
Crikey just looked at the date - Guy Fawkes, lock up ya pets people
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