Camp

Apple getting smarter?

perhaps the content is about to get better...

MTV.com reports that Apple is meeting with hundreds of indie label representatives on Thursday to discuss adding their content to the iTunes Music Service.

Senior iTunes music store staffers will show the label reps how the store runs and they'll perform some hands-on demos, though it is unclear whether Apple boss Steve Jobs will attend. The spokesperson declined to specify which, or how many, labels were invited to the meeting.

The article quotes Sub Pop and Matador Records as two labels specifically planning to attend the event.

Indie Support for the iTunes Music Store has been expected and mentioned specifically by Steve Jobs.

Patrick Larkin

yeah, apparently amazon.com will be opening up a portal to the apple music store as well...

meanwhile, the other main competitors (aol and microsoft) are piloting services with really restrictive and dumb DRM rules or bad pricing.

Obligatory DVD List

Pamela

That is good news! I have found the Apple Music Store to a great place to discover new stuff. My favorite new find of the moment is The Juliana Theory. More music? Bring it on!

Jeff Ulmer

I'm interested to see if/when Apple opens this up to the truly independent market, ie those who prefer not to be on labels. While the administration side would be more complicated, there is no reason in this day and age why proper tracking of any song can't be accomplished and paid for, no matter what the source.

DVD Reviewer, digitallyOBSESSED.com | Othyrworld

David Lawson

Derek Sivers of CD Baby! has posted the major points of Apple's presentation to indies here.

Jeff, to address your concerns:

- Independent artists themselves, not with a label, can't use this. You have to go through an iTunes partner.

- When asked if artists with their own label would be eligible, the iTunes guys had an odd answer, saying that this was invitation-only and they want to deal with those of us in the room.

- (CD Baby will be an iTunes partner, and will be glad to do the submission and be your pipeline into iTunes, if we can.)

I'll be curious to see how many they land. MP3.com has just partnered with EMusic, the latter of which is already keeping me busy with their own collection of indie artists and labels. Lupine Howl, Mull Historical Society, The Sheila Divine, Creeper Lagoon, Six. by Seven!

He obviously misinterpreted what it means to "be bullish."