In OK Computer this month, Ian Peel takes a look at how a musician’s death not only raises interest in their collectables, but also provokes greed in record companies. Whitney Houston wasn’t even 30 minutes gone before Sony upped the iTunes price of her Ultimate Collection from £4.99 to £7.99; the outcry was almost immediate and the price reduced just as quickly, Sony claiming that the hike was a “mistake”.
Mistake or no, as iTunes sales have become increasingly popular, record labels seem to be getting a little naughty in the digital market. Remember when we were promised low prices for digital music, because we wouldn’t have to pay for packaging overheads? Once the music’s uploaded to an online store, the product costs the label nothing.
So how can iTunes charge £10.99 for a copy of Sgt Pepper’s when you can buy the physical thing for £5.99 on Amazon? Want the two-disc deluxe edition of Exile On Main Street with all the trimmings? £5.87 on Amazon; £11.99 on iTunes.
You can see where this is going, right? That you can get a brand new CD for a fiver these days just goes to show how over-priced CDs were in the 90s. Eighteen quid a go – as many brand new CDs were back then – must have been one hell of a mark-up. But that you can easily pay double today for something you can’t even hold seems a little barmy.
The digital revolution took the major labels by surprise – or, rather, the major labels tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, while the average consumer got used to downloading free music through Napster. This wild swing in the opposite direction, however, suggests that the industry is no closer to getting a grip on what to do with digital downloads, rather, it’s just trying to make up for lost profits. iTunes’ success proves that there’s an audience happy to pay for the music it owns: but do they really have to fleeced for playing by the rules?
Record Collector
Interesting article. I think you can get CD's relatively cheap these days. Do you predominantly buy CD's or download and are you happy with the prices you pay?
19-03-2012, 01:47 PM
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The Great Rock’n'roll Swindle
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