This actually summarized something I've also been puzzling over lately..
I admit, I've found lately I can buy the physical CDs cheaper (and sometimes a lot cheaper) at Walmart then I can buy them online via digital download.
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http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/iTunes-pricing-is-out-of-control/1263326789It's New Music Tuesday, when I rush online to survey the releases. O.A.R. has a new live album, "Rain or Shine," which immediately caught my attention. But my enthusiasm skidded to a halt when looking at the iTunes price: $24.99. Yeah, there are 38 tracks, but 25 bucks -- or $1.29 per track? At the per-track price, the album would cost more than $49. For the full album, per-track price savings, someone else might bow before the great Apple god in gratitude. I'm an ingrate. I looked to AmazonMP3 for a better price -- and couldn't find it. Amazon's digital download store doesn't list the album. But the retailer carries the CD, with all 38 songs for $16.99. That's 5 bucks off the list price, which is still less than what iTunes charges.
Apple isn't just charging more, it's doing so for a comparatively inferior product. Music fans can argue the merits of AmazonMP3's 256kbps MP3 encoding compared to Apple's 256kbps AAC. But there's no argument about lossless, uncompressed Compact Disc Digital Audio format and its 1,411kbps bitrate.
I admit, I've found lately I can buy the physical CDs cheaper (and sometimes a lot cheaper) at Walmart then I can buy them online via digital download.
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