iTunes: Not Dead Yet

February 15, 2017 Alan Cross 0 Comments

Back before the world discovered streaming, 70% of us got our digital music video downloads from Apple’s iTunes store. Quaint now, huh?

Those days are long gone and Apple knows it, which explains their investment in Apple Music. They know purchased digital downloads are on their way out (digital albums are already selling more than 30% less in Canada than a year ago–and last year sucked) so they have to preserve whatever market share they have as they pursue first-place Spotify.

But this does not mean that paid digital downloads will disappear. Just as there will always be people who want CDs and vinyl, there are those (like me) who will continue to purchase digital tracks so we can do exactly what we please with them.

Here’s the current state of the download market in the US.

You will find more statistics at Statista

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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