Will you pay to ‘upgrade’ to DRM-free songs from iTunes?
So, even Apple fans gotta admit that this year’s Macworld Keynote was a bit of a snoozer. It’s been a long-standing tradition of mine to compulsively refresh the Engadget live blog of the event often offering a running commentary about the goings on to whomever is within ear shot.
This year I had a tough time staying awake. A new iPhoto? *Yawn* (though a little interesting in light of yesterday’s announcement of Picasa for the Mac). I can pay $4.99 to get a video lesson from Sting through GarageBand? No thank you. Oh, and the 17-inch MacBook with the new-fangled battery that might have got the hardcore fans excited, but I am a fickle fan.
The most interesting (and by interesting I mean, worth rubbing the sleep from my eyes and paying attention) announcement was that iTunes was finally going to go DRM-free. It’s about time. But what is more interesting is that for those of us who have a library full of iTunes music we’ll have to pay 30 cents a song to “upgrade” to the new DRM-free iTunes plus version.
I know I won’t be shelling out that 30 cents a song. I’d rather spend all that money (by my guess it’d be hundreds of dollars) on new music. Is DRM-free music that important to you? Would you shell out to get it removed from your music?
7 Responses to “Will you pay to ‘upgrade’ to DRM-free songs from iTunes?”
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Dave Bucklin on January 8th, 2009
I try not to buy music from iTunes for that very reason. I’ll admit that I’ve slipped and made a few purchases. As a CD loyalist, I’ll pass on the un-DRM upgrade and pick up those few albums on CD. On the other hand, those for whom “music library” is synonymous with iTunes will have little incentive to pay this fee.
Jodi Chromey on January 8th, 2009
What makes you a CD loyalist? I keep having this discussion with Mitch & Mark over here. They like having the stuff, I like the ease and immediacy of electronic downloads.
Dave Bucklin on January 8th, 2009
I also like having the stuff. My collection looks impressive in its IKEA CD towers. Downloads lack substance – literally and metaphorically.
Mitch and I are both album listeners. I think we both enjoy hearing songs within the context of an album and listening to albums in their entirety. We enjoy the search, discovery and acquisition of these old-world objects. We cherish the experience of coming home with new, rare and hard-found discs. We could probably tell you when, where and how we came to own each one in our collection; they tell the story of our life. While music downloads are fantastic for lovers of singles, it robs folks like me of these physical aspects that are central to my experience and relationship with music.
Mitch&Tonic on January 8th, 2009
OooooHHHhh you got SERVED!
Jodi Chromey on January 8th, 2009
I was not served! Just because someone buys music electronically does not mean they don’t buy entire albums and listen to them in their entirety. In fact, I’ve been listening to the entire Lucy Michelle & The Velvet Lapelles album for nearly a week. And while the acquisition of music rarely playing into the memories I build around certain albums and artists, it is still there.
I just think there are people who don’t want any more stuff in the physical sense, and yet still enjoy having lots and lots of music. Storing CDs is a pain. I like having all my music with me at all times. I still enjoy the search for new music, I just search the Internet for it. Having the actual physical media means nothing to me.
However, when it comes to book I’m the exact opposite.
Dave Bucklin on January 8th, 2009
I did conflate the album thing with the physical aspect thing back there. I agree with you about storing CDs. They can also get lost or damaged (mine are insured).
I certainly use the webs to find new artists and preview music, and I love my iPod, but at the end of the day I want a CD. I don’t think either of us is saying one way is better than another, but it’s interesting to ask what motivates us to choose one over the other. Ultimately we choose what serves us best, and that’s completely subjective.
Jodi Chromey on January 8th, 2009
You’ve taken all the steam out of my argument. Half the fun of arguing is making bold proclamations that your way is the only right and true way and all other ways are far inferior. But here you are being all rational and logical.
I do understand the urge to buy physical CDs. I read someone (and I wish I could remember the source) who said they liked to get the physical CDs because it made the music seem more like his instead of a download which made it seem like his computer’s.