Just returning to the whole MP3 thingy debate, I don't know how much everyones listens to tech nerdy news type stuff, but Apple have set up an online store where you can buy music electronically, for something like 99 cents a song, or $9.99 an album (in US money). And I think there's an option where you can buy the "proper" album and download the tracks so you can listen to it before it gets delivered. They've got deals with the major record companies, so there's lots of variety on offer and more comming all the time. The songs you get you can do what you like with. Burn them to CD, listen to them on more than one PC, trade them, whatever, with none of this stupid DRM stuff getting in the way. The only catch at this point in time is that you have to have an Apple, use iTunes and be in the US.
And here's the point I'm trying to make.
They sold an estimated 275,000 tracks in the first 18 hours of operation. In the first two weeks of trading they sold over a million US dollars worth of songs.
Things to remember when you read these figures. 1: US only. 2: Apple users only make up 4% of computer users.
So there's definately a market for electronic delivery of music, and I know that I would pay that sort of price to get it. Just goes to show that the music industry has it all, completely and 100% wrong.
