¶ So after much anticipation, the iTunes Music Store finally launched here in the UK. But don’t get your hopes up for finding anything you actually want to buy.
I tried to publish an iMix comprising 20 favourite tracks from CDs I purchased last year. Of these 20, only one track was available to buy. I tried again with a similar list from 2002. Of 19 tracks, only three were available for purchase.
This means you cannot buy music by artists including Radiohead, Blur, Belle & Sebastian, Super Furry Animals, Johnny Cash, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Supergrass, Foo Fighters, Underworld and the White Stripes. And those are just the ones from my lists that everyone’s definitely heard of.
Apparently it’s all down to a deal falling through between Apple and the Association of Independent Music as reported in MacWorld. They need to sort it out soon or everyone over here will just give up on the iTunes store.
Comments
1
Good point Richard.
People on your side of “the pond” have different tastes in music than most over here. Apple maybe should have gotten that taken care of before launching in the UK.
2
I’m delighted it finally launched – and my first request (some PJ Harvey obscurity) was available. I also found the whole process very straightforward, and proceeded to bang on about how great it was to everyone else in the office.
But, as you suggest, when I tried to find SFA, and other reasonably well-known UK acts I got things like “Were you trying to find Sunkissed Furball Animations” etc – rubbish.
Jeremy’s right. You can’t feed the British a diet of Aguillera, P Diddly and Dido – we’ll soon get bored…and a few exclusive Pixies and PJ Harvey tracks won’t keep us interested for long.
3
Oh well, there’s always Bleep – www.warprecords.com/bleep/ – as long as you dig Warp/Skam etc.
No DRM, either ;)
4
In the US version of the store, we’ve got all those artists except for Radiohead and Belle & Sebastian… I’ve been waiting for Radiohead for a while. I have a feeling they’re one of those groups that doesn’t want to sell online.
I’m wondering if the rest is a glitch… they claim to have the same songs in the UK store as in the US store.
5
Yeah, I was pretty excited when it launched here in the US, until I tried finding ANYTHING I liked. The content increased after a while, but not to my liking. Besides, the limitations they put on the music you buy (having to authorize/deauthorize computers is a pain and too limited) makes me want to stick with my local independent music store.
6
I just went to the UK iTunes store to sign up, and (gasp!) read the license agreement before clicking “I agree”. Sadly, clause 10 stipulates that the service may only be used in the United States. I am not sure how many people in the UK have signed up, but it seems Apple has duped them all into breaking the agreement before they even begin.
Oh what fun.
7
Just to update my previous comment:
Apple got back to me apologising for the messed up Terms of Service document, and have fixed it. Woo.
8
I dont care if the selection isnt great… it will grow. besides, it is a step forwards from being forced underground. And to get round the DRM, just burn a CD-RW disc, rip it and then re-use it. it is not difficult. btw, I have just downloaded underworld, so they are expanding (albeit slowly). what i dont get is that the US store has a better selection than the UK one. that sucks. for some bands (namely UPO), just cos they havent launched yet in england, they wont let us buy their stuff. how does that work? i thought they were gonna try to use mp3s to promote new acts…?
however, iTunes is a great bit of software. it is very smooth and easy to use.
overall, well worth the wait, i reckon.
9
David Versus Goliath Battle Over iTunes
Apple Computers Takes on Small Business Over the Ownership of
ITUNES.CO.UK, case to follow hot on the heals of Office of Fair
Trading criticism of Apple’s pricing policy.
CyberBritain Holdings Ltd, the internet company founded and run by
Benjamin Cohen (founder of soJewish and one time teenage dot.com
millionaire), registered the domain name ITUNES.co.uk on the 7th
November 2000, as one of a series of generic domain names to forward
to various parts of what was then CyberBritain’s network of websites.
From 9th Novemeber 2000, the ITUNES.co.uk domain name forwarded to
CyberBritain’s music search engine service.
Unknown to CyberBritain, Apple Computer Inc applied for a trademark
for the name “ITUNES” on the 27th October 2000. The details of the
application were strictly confidential and only known to Apple, their
filing agents and HM Patent Office. It was not until the 6th December
2000, that their application was published in the Trade Marks Journal,
a crucial four weeks after CyberBritain began using the ITUNES.co.uk
domain name. Apple were later granted a restricted trademark on 23rd
March 2001, which did not include the use of ITUNES for music
products.
CyberBritain continued to use the domain to forward to its music pages
throughout 2001,2002 and 2003. On 16th April 2003, Apple Computers Inc
applied for a trademark for the name “ITUNES MUSIC STORE” for classes
including music, they have yet to be granted the rights to the name.
Apple did not launch their ITUNES service in the UK until June 2004,
almost four years after CyberBritain first registered the ITUNES.co.uk
domain name.
CyberBritain, innocently registered the ITUNES.co.uk domain name and
used it for four years before it was contacted by Apple Computer Inc’s
solicitors in November of this year. Apple have now issued Nominet
proceedings (domain authority) to gain control of the ITUNES.co.uk
domain name.
CyberBritain now forwards the ITUNES.co.uk domain name to a music
promotion on its associated website, QuickQuid.com.
Benjamin Cohen, the CEO of CyberBritain Holdings Ltd said, “Apple have
accused us of being cyber-squatters, something that we obviously could
not be, as our registration of the ITUNES.co.uk domain name pre-dates
the time that any information about their ITUNES service would have
been in the public domain. They are using their status to unfairly
claim an asset of an entirely innocent, British small business.”
10
Songs cost 0.79 to download yet if I have an american credit card I only pay $0.99 which is 0.55 at today’s exchange rate (7/6/5). Why because I live in England do I have to pay an extra 0.24 to download?
I was looking for tracks by Juno Reactor the other day. I found two on the UK site and over 30 on the US site.
In the UK itunes is a lame joke.
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