Could 5, 2003: Only a week after launching the iTunes Music Retailer, Apple reaches an unbelievable milestone with greater than 1 million songs offered.
Significantly notable is the truth that greater than half the songs bought are albums. This rapidly dispels fears that promoting tracks individually will kill the file trade’s dominant format. As well as, greater than half of the 200,000 songs initially out there on iTunes get downloaded at the very least as soon as.
“In lower than one week we’ve damaged each file and become the largest online music company in the world,” says Steve Jobs in an announcement. “Apple has created the primary full resolution for the digital music age — you should buy your favourite music on-line on the iTunes Music Retailer, combine your favourite tracks into playlists with iTunes, and take your whole music assortment with you all over the place with the super-slim new iPods.”
It’s a roaring success for Apple’s latest enterprise!
iTunes launch breaks information by promoting information
When the iTunes Music Store opened, there have been no ensures it could work. File-sharing providers like Napster had fueled a increase in unlawful music downloads. Skeptics questioned whether or not individuals would pay 99 cents per observe in change for a lovely person expertise (and a authorized transaction).
Though Jobs satisfied the heads of the “Large 5” file labels — BMG, EMI, Sony Music Leisure, Common and Warner — to promote their music on iTunes, the execs remained involved the transfer would eat into CD gross sales.
iTunes Music Retailer turns into a shock success
The label chiefs expressed shock at iTunes’ speedy success in statements issued by Apple.
“Hitting a million songs in lower than every week was completely surprising,” stated Roger Ames, Warner Music Group’s chairman and CEO. “Apple has proven music followers, artists and the music trade as a complete that there actually is a profitable and simple means of legally distributing music over the web.”
Common Music Group CEO Doug Morris additionally hailed the iTunes milestone.
“Our inside measure of success was having the iTunes Music Retailer promote a million songs within the first month. To do that in a single week is an over-the-top success,” stated Morris. “Apple positively acquired it proper with the iTunes Music Retailer.”
To have fun the information, Apple stated iTunes would add greater than 3,200 new tracks. (That included an unique music and music video by Coldplay.)
Inside six months, the variety of songs within the iTunes Music Retailer doubled.
iTunes downloads soar
Apple went on to obliterate obtain information, with the speed of gross sales solely rising. By December 15, 2003, the iTunes Music Store hit its 25 millionth download. By the next July, Apple sold its 100 millionth song. In the present day, Apple has offered north of 40 billion songs — though its technique has now shifted to streaming with Apple Music.
Had been you an early iTunes adopter? Go away your feedback under.