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Lateralus · May 4, 2004, 03:33 PM

For those of you who still don't know, Apple has been giving away a free song on iTunes for the past week to commemorate the 1 year anniversary of the music store.

Now, it is just me or are the songs Apple has been given away so bad that the only way Apple could get anybody to download them is by giving them away for free?

Socially Awkward Solo · May 4, 2004, 03:36 PM

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
Now, it is just me or are the songs Apple has been given away so bad that the only way Apple could get anybody to download them is by giving them away for free?

Ya, I think that is rather obvious.

nredman · May 4, 2004, 03:37 PM

i downloaded Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows the other day, not too bad...kinda of gay but its free right? okay nevermind i am going delete it

and yes the songs do kind of suck.

also got that avril song...just cause i'd like to give her a little something something.

malvolio · May 4, 2004, 03:37 PM

Of course they're giving away garbage.
After all, why give away songs that people are willing to pay for?

spatterson · May 4, 2004, 03:40 PM

Give away free songs to encourage other paid downloads.... the only good song was the "my hero" song from the foo fighters

mitchell_pgh · May 4, 2004, 03:47 PM

While the music is questionable, I think they should continue giving away a free song a day... I'm sure they only get a few thousand downloads a day.

Or better yet, offer one track, and an audio commentary from the band.

I'd keep going back in the hopes that something cool would show up.

The trick is, they shouldn't say who they are going to have.

gorickey · May 4, 2004, 03:59 PM

Why no Michael Jackson freebies? He's really cool and popular...

faragbre967 · May 4, 2004, 04:32 PM

Originally posted by gorickey:
Why no Michael Jackson freebies? He's really cool and popular...

That's ignorant, they ignorant.

JHromadka · May 4, 2004, 06:40 PM

You get what you pay for.

ambush · May 4, 2004, 06:50 PM

My Hero from the Foo Fighters is sooo good.

TY Apple!

HotSoup · May 4, 2004, 07:11 PM

Yeah, I know, the Foo Fighters song is like the only good one, I luddd it.

RGB · May 4, 2004, 07:30 PM

Originally posted by faragbre967:
That's ignorant, they ignorant.

Ahh, I love the South Park comments injected into normal conversation. Makes me smile.

KeyLimePi · May 4, 2004, 07:39 PM

Did you get the Annie Lennox song? Good stuff.

Developer · May 4, 2004, 07:57 PM

I have the following theory:

The music industry probably was complaining that Apple isn't selling enough of the "filler songs". So now Apple offers one for free every week, so that they can say: "See, people aren't even downloading your crap for free, so don't complain at us that we are not selling them enough."

mdc · May 4, 2004, 09:28 PM

i like the hero song and today i downloaded the opera one. the opera one is not actually that bad. it's growing on me.

dampeoples · May 4, 2004, 10:50 PM

Because some people have different musical tastes, plus they're all free, who cares?

Gankdawg · May 4, 2004, 10:57 PM

Originally posted by mdc:
i like the hero song and today i downloaded the opera one. the opera one is not actually that bad. it's growing on me.

I downloaded and then realized it was opera. I don't like opera. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard.

OwlBoy · May 4, 2004, 11:00 PM

Yeah, the problem is taste in music.

They could give away Toxic, and you all would still complain.

Yet is has been / is in the Top 10...

I am happy with any free songs I get. And remember, they will start doing this every tuesday, so eventually something you like will show up

-Owl

Lateralus · May 4, 2004, 11:05 PM

I'm still a little amazed at the lack of a good number of popular bands on iTMS. In particular, my two favorites: The Smashing Pumpkins and Tool. I think there is two whole Pumpkins songs on the iTMS.

...WTF?

mitchell_pgh · May 4, 2004, 11:16 PM

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
I'm still a little amazed at the lack of a good number of popular bands on iTMS. In particular, my two favorites: The Smashing Pumpkins and Tool. I think there is two whole Pumpkins songs on the iTMS.

...WTF?

So true... I'm also running in to a ton of "album only" songs...

I don't understand why bands are so reluctant to place the songs on iTMS.

At least it gives people the option to download them legally.

mitchell_pgh · May 4, 2004, 11:21 PM

I'll be honest, they could put a three minute fart for free download and I would snag it...

I'm still getting my feet wet with the whole digital thing... I'm stuck in the "go to the music store" mentality.

Also, EVERY song is available at the music store, it's not the case at the iTMS.

Eventually I see a service from apple called "producer" where if you are a band, you can "buy" space on their servers and submit AAC files, and they will protect them...

I know a ton of bands that would do it NOW...

Lateralus · May 4, 2004, 11:27 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I don't understand why bands are so reluctant to place the songs on iTMS.

I used to think it was band reluctance that kept songs off of iTunes, but now I am pretty sure that it is not.

Billy Corgan (Lead singer of the Pumpkins), is a HUGE Mac nut. Hell, he even put the Apple Desktop Bus logo on the cover of the bands final album. He also has a Celebrity Playlist, and his other band, Zwan, is on iTMS.

As far as Tool... The lead singers other band, A Perfect Circle, is featured on iTunes.

*Shrugs*

mitchell_pgh · May 4, 2004, 11:31 PM

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
I used to think it was band reluctance that kept songs off of iTunes, but now I am pretty sure that it is not.

Billy Corgan (Lead singer of the Pumpkins), is a HUGE Mac nut. Hell, he even put the Apple Desktop Bus logo on the cover of the bands final album. He also has a Celebrity Playlist, and his other band, Zwan, is on iTMS.

As far as Tool... The lead singers other band, A Perfect Circle, is featured on iTunes.

*Shrugs*

Hmmm, all true.

Someone somewhere is going "Ummm, nope, I don't think we should go iTMS..."

I wonder if they are fishing for better deals. I was dreaming that iTunes would become a depository of tons of live events etc. Go to a great show and then be able to download it a week later etc. etc.

I hope that comes true eventually before someone else starts doing it.

Lateralus · May 4, 2004, 11:37 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I was dreaming that iTunes would become a depository of tons of live events etc. Go to a great show and then be able to download it a week later etc. etc.

I hope that comes true eventually before someone else starts doing it.

Yes, I want the same thing!

I don't think most of the-powers-that-be understand the interest in rare and live music.

Steve Jobs is a hippy. Hippies love music. You'd figure he would see the value in using the iTMS for such a purpose.

todrain · May 5, 2004, 12:38 AM

Renee Fleming?

dampeoples · May 5, 2004, 12:53 AM

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
Yes, I want the same thing!

I don't think most of the-powers-that-be understand the interest in rare and live music.

Steve Jobs is a hippy. Hippies love music. You'd figure he would see the value in using the iTMS for such a purpose.

Yes, but Steve has nothing to do with the content available, the RIAA/bands do, there's the catch, unfortunately.

- - e r i k - - · May 5, 2004, 03:29 AM

Another vote for My Hero

Of course I already had that one.

...and I can't download the free songs without a credit card anyway. Not even with my free Ben & Jerry code.

Sealobo · May 5, 2004, 03:49 AM

Is it just me or it seems that we can't download these free songs from outside the USA?

AppleCello · May 5, 2004, 05:15 AM

Ya you have to have a credit card to download even the free songs, and It has to be a US registered credit card. I am living in France, but I can still buy and download from the store because my credit card is billed to my US address.

Patrick

OwlBoy · May 5, 2004, 09:29 AM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:

Eventually I see a service from apple called "producer" where if you are a band, you can "buy" space on their servers and submit AAC files, and they will protect them...

I know a ton of bands that would do it NOW...

Check out www.CDBaby.net. They do this already.

-Owl

soul searching · May 5, 2004, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I'll be honest, they could put a three minute fart for free download and I would snag it...
...

I think others are with you. Here's a press release from Apple:

In addition to the 3.3 million purchased songs [during this past week], iTunes users have downloaded more than 500,000 free songs from popular artists including Foo Fighters, Avril Lavigne, Courtney Love, Annie Lennox, Jane�s Addiction, Counting Crows, Renee Fleming and Nelly Furtado during Apple's week-long �Free Song of the Day� anniversary promotion.

wataru · May 5, 2004, 03:12 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I'll be honest, they could put a three minute fart for free download and I would snag it...

Well, it's not free, but it is 99 different farts for your listening enjoyment: The Fart CD

typoon · May 5, 2004, 03:13 PM

Originally posted by soul searching:
I think others are with you. Here's a press release from Apple:

Only one word for that... NICE!!!

mitchell_pgh · May 5, 2004, 03:15 PM

Originally posted by soul searching:
I think others are with you. Here's a press release from Apple:

Actually, that's not that great...

Considering they have given 7 songs away...

That's only an average of just over 70K downloads per song...

mitchell_pgh · May 5, 2004, 03:18 PM

Originally posted by wataru:
Well, it's not free, but it is 99 different farts for your listening enjoyment: The Fart CD

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...ItemId=3986319