Posted on 02/25/2006 11:54:30 AM PST by nickcarraway
Michigan user tallies Apple's milestone download with Coldplay's "Speed of Sound."
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The number of songs downloaded from Apple's online music store iTunes sped past one billion Thursday as a customer in Bloomfield, Mich., purchased Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" as part of the band's X&Y album.
Apple, which was watching for the one billionth download, will give Alex Ostrovsky, the lucky downloader, a 20-inch iMac computer, 10 iPods and a $10,000 gift certificate to iTunes.
"Over one billion songs have now been legally purchased and downloaded around the globe, representing a major force against music piracy and the future of music distribution as we move from CDs to the Internet," Apple's Steve Jobs said in a press release.
In addition to the prizes Ostrovsky will take home, Apple will also establish a scholarship in his name to New York's Juilliard School of Music.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
So much for the Music Mafia's lamentations of doom and gloom and the demise of music as we know it.
The morons; thinking they could leech on the backs of artists forever!
I think this is really cool. You expect them to give away iPods as a prize; a scholarship to Julliard is something else indeed!
Based on a FReeper's recommendations, I signed on to iTunes last week. It's a bit of a pain to do the conversion to the non-Apple MP3 player that I have, but it's great to get some of those old songs and not worry about the RIAA (may they burn in hell) trying to sue you.
Im one of those people who resist some innovations that can be quite handy. Like ATMs, LOL!
Sheesh. The one-billionth milestone and it has to be Coldplay.
Coldplay's X+Y album is one of the best records out in the past 10 years, actually. And I haven't really been interested in them that much. Record blew my mind. It's totally mellow and haunting.
Also by now overexposed to the nth degree.
Would have been cooler if the billionth was some old bluesman or something.
For example, the soundtracks from Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. Fred Astaire songs from his movies. 'My baby loves the Western Movies' for my mother, who was young when that doo wop music was popular. Some old Judy Collins and T Rex.
But there's also new rock as well. I haven't looked too much for classical music, but it's there, as is religious. I'm still looking for a recording of the Latin Mass. There's quite a collection, including spoken word. However, a particular artist may not have signed on. It looks like Harrison hasn't, or Led Zeppelin or Tull. Example - I wanted 'Badge' by George Harrison and Eric Clapton. All I could find were Clapton versions, but they were good and I bought 2, studio & live.
I was a big fan of Napster, but under their new system, you just rent the music. At least w/iTunes it belongs to you and I think you can put it on up to 5 computers/players. You can listen to a song to see if it's what you want.
I'm like you, it took me a while to use some of the new technologies (even tho I study technology use for my Phd). I was happy w/my walkman. But, another FReeper convinced me to go MP3 - all my new music was on my computer/CD anyway - and I haven't looked back. Being able to hear songs I haven't heard since the 70s, and not having to buy a bunch o'crap to get 1 song, is great.
I'd be happy to run a search for you to see if the kind of music you like is available.
"not worry about the RIAA (may they burn in hell)"
amen(ptui!)!
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