“Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes online store was ranked the seventh-largest music retailer in the U.S. in the third quarter, breaking into the top 10 for the first time, according to researcher NPD Group Inc.,” Bloomberg News reports. “iTunes moved up from 14th a year earlier, Port Washington, New York-based NPD said today in a statement.”
The Top seven music retailers in the U.S. in 3rd quarter 2005:
1. Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
2. Best Buy Co.
3. Target Corp.
4. Amazon.com Inc.
5. Trans World Entertainment Corp.’s FYE
6. Circuit City Stores Inc.
7. Apple Computer, Inc.’s iTunes Music Store
Full article here.
John Borland reports for CNET News, “Apple Computer’s iTunes music store now sells more music than Tower Records, Borders, and Sam Goody. ‘Taking their growth and others’ pain, it’s not inconceivable to see them cracking into higher ground in the foreseeable future,’ said NPD music and movies industry analyst Russ Crupnick… Apple’s iTunes has maintained more than 70 percent of the PC-based digital music download market throughout 2005, Crupnick said. That market share is likely to climb slightly when Macintosh customers are added in, but NPD does not track those purchases, he said.”
Full article here.
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Is it any wonder that the music cartels are losing their minds over iTunes Music Store? Eliminate the Middlebronfman!
Related articles:
Why music labels want to force multiple price points on Apple’s iTunes Music Store – November 21, 2005
Will Apple’s iTunes Music Store be forced to raise prices by greedy music labels? – November 17, 2005
EMI chief: Apple’s Steve Jobs may alter iTunes pricing model within the next 12 months [UPDATED] – November 16, 2005
Warner’s Middlebronfman: ‘We sell our songs through iPods, but we don’t have share of iPod revenue’ – October 05, 2005
In 99-cent fight with ‘Looney iTunes’ labels, Apple CEO Jobs will get whatever Jobs wants – September 29, 2005
Warner music exec discusses decapitation strategy for Apple iTunes Music Store – September 28, 2005
Warner CEO Bronfman: Apple iTunes Music Store’s 99-cent-per-song model unfair – September 23, 2005
Analyst: Apple has upper hand in iTunes Music Store licensing negotiations with music labels – September 23, 2005
Steve Jobs plays high-stakes poker with greedy record labels – September 22, 2005
Record labels accuse Apple CEO Jobs of ‘double standard’ as they seek to force iTunes price increase – September 21, 2005
Apple CEO Steve Jobs to repel ‘greedy’ record companies’ demands for higher iTunes prices – September 21, 2005
Apple CEO Steve Jobs vows to stand firm in face of ‘greedy’ record companies – September 20, 2005
NYT’s Pogue to record companies: it’d be idiotic to mess with Apple iTunes Music Store prices – August 31, 2005
Apple CEO Steve Jobs prepares for pivotal fight on digital music prices – August 28, 2005
BusinessWeek: Apple unlikely to launch music subscription service – August 15, 2005
Record labels to push Apple for higher iTunes Music Store prices in 2006? – August 05, 2005
Study shows Apple iTunes Music Store pay-per-download model preferred over subscription service – April 11, 2005
Record labels look to raise iTunes wholesale prices, music industry fears Apple’s market domination – March 05, 2005
Report: Apple CEO Steve Jobs ‘angered’ as music labels try to raise prices for downloads – February 28, 2005
Report: Music labels delay Euro iTunes Music Store fearing Apple domination – May 05, 2004
Greedy Big Five music labels looking to jack up iTunes songs to $2.49 each? – April 22, 2004
Oh yea baby
I’m so proud of you people! Now, if only they would encode at 192 kbps, I would join your party. For now – I stick with eMusic.
Who is that at #5?
“Trans World Entertainment Corp.’s FYE”
To: Lazy European, I think they should encode with Apple Lossless in addition to the current 128 kbps AAC.
Davidlow,
FYE (for your entertainment) is that overpriced store in most malls. Online here:
http://www.fye.com/
FYE is a customer-centric, cross-channel retail infrastructure comprised of an industry-leading Web site at fye.com and more than 650 mall-based stores (ranging from 3,000 square feet to the “superstore” format averaging 25,000 square feet). Utilizing advanced techniques and a broadband communication infrastructure, the FYE concept has been rolled out nationwide – promising a more customized, interactive and inspiring experience for the entertainment consumers of the 21st century.
I agree with macnut222 (maybe for the first time?). When the iTunes Music Store starts selling songs with lossless compression I’ll start buying. Until then I will buy CDs and import them using lossless.
im with you, 192 AAC and I would start buying tracks. Can’t believe how most people don’t hear the popps and shitty frequency artefacts at 128kbps. Or well, maybe they just don’t care.
macnut222 said: “I think they should encode with Apple Lossless”
The record companies wouldn’t go for that. Same reason why Videos are such low rez.
This is nothing new. If you’re old enough to remember the DAT debacle of the 90’s, you’ll know what I mean.
kinoko –
Unless you have high quality speakers or headphones everywhere you have your iPod, it doesn’t matter that much; in terms of achieving high fidelity, you’ve already lost. I’ve been slowly re-importing my library at 192kbps, replacing the 128kbps versions (ripped when I had a 20GB iPod). But I’m not hurrying, because the times I hook my iPod up to my stereo are minimal. 95% of the time, I’m listening on $40 Sony Fontopia headphones — better than the default iPod headphones, but not by much — on a bus or a subway. Or else hooked up in my car via a wired FM transceiver that also degrades the sound. I understand high fidelity (I have B&W CM6 speakers in my living room), but in my normal commuting or driving environment, it just doesn’t matter. (Eventually I’ll pick up some Etymotics…)
I love to lick my iPod, and enclosing it in a sheath. I look forward to my contributing to Apples growth, by filling it with fresh crisp Tunes, I am in rapture
FYE = Soon to be ranked below Apple’s iTunes Music Store.
I wonder what are the absolute figures are. I mean online sales still only account for less than 5% of all music sold, don’t they? Now if they surpass Amazon, that will be something!
But I thought Napster was the number 1 music service!?
Why isn’t it on the top 5!?
They didn’t lie, did they!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
BOO-YAH!
I don’t really think tha tthe iTMS can be the 7th largest retailer of music and online sales only account for 5% of the market. And Apple would only have 70% of that. That would mean Apple sells only 3% of retail music and that get’s them the 7th spot. Something wrong with these stats!
IMHO
“Apple’s iTunes has maintained more than 70 percent of the PC-based digital music download market throughout 2005, Crupnick said. That market share is likely to climb slightly when Macintosh customers are added in, but NPD does not track those purchases, he said.”
Huh.
GO APPLE!!!
Too bad there’s not a breakdown on sales figures. How far is Apple from #1?
And speaking of #1, I’m surprised it’s Wal-Mart, given how miserable their electronics & music sections (and stores in general) are.
“I’m so proud of you people! Now, if only they would encode at 192 kbps, I would join your party. For now – I stick with eMusic.”
I like eMusic too, or at least I liked them until it became more of a chore to every month find songs I liked. eMusic is a good deal anyway, but the selection is really really limited for well known acts. They are a DRM-free service which is nice, but for cripes sake, no way you can tell the difference between 128AAC and 192. Just, no way.
Seems kind of odd that NPD’s stats for Apple’s iTunes Music Store does not include purchases made by people with Apple Macintosh computers. Anyone else see that as a little whacked? What, we don’t count?
ditto, I think wal-mart has the worst selection but clearly what do I know.
I feel borders and best buy have nice music selections
I still only buy on iTunes, don’t know when I last bought a CD.
WalMart is the giant in music CDs. They have forced down wholesale prices from the labels. This is what the labels fear Apple will do to digital sales, that’s why they’ve been negotiating in public.
Now, I wonder what the NPD numbers would look like if they included Mac users. They haven’t been counting my purchases!
The thing that Lazy European does not understand is that AAC at 128Kbps sounds just as good if not better than 192Kbps MP3 files.
Now, if only they would encode at 192 kbps
Or, maybe Apple could produce iPods with poor sound quality so we can’t tell the difference when we hook up our sweet headphones, speakers, etc…
If I was Jobs I would want to knock off Wal-Mart. Then show the world how to defeat Wal-Mart!!
Steve Jobs is the man also known as the ..
Wal-Mart Killer
Microsoft Killer
Then Steve Jobs the official ultimate Business man!