Featured Article: User Friendly Blog by Ted Landau - Best Buy Polishes its Apple
TMO Reports - iTunes Music Store Downloads Hit 200 Million, Apple Says
by , 8:35 AM EST, December 16th, 2004
Apple Computer announced Thursday that iPod users have purchased and downloaded more than 200 million songs from the iTunes Music Store since its launch in April of 2003.
The 200 millionth song downloaded was part of 'The Complete U2' collection and was purchased by Ryan Alekman from Belchertown, Mass., Apple said.
The company announced it had sold 150 million songs through its online music service on October 14 - 63 days ago. At that rate, Apple sold approximately 793,650 songs per day since reaching 150 million downloads.
The iTunes Music Store features more than one million songs from the major music companies and 600 independent record labels, as well as over 9,000 audiobooks.
| iTunes Music Store Key Dates | |
|---|---|
| April 28, 2003 | Apple Launches iTunes Music Store |
| May 6, 2003 | One million songs sold on iTMS |
| May 14, 2003 | Two million songs sold on iTMS |
| June 23, 2003 | Five million songs sold on iTMS |
| September 8, 2003 | Ten million songs sold on iTMS |
| October 16, 2003 | Apple & Pepsi launch giveaway of 100 million free songs |
| October 20, 2003 | One million copies of iTunes for Windows downloaded in less than four days |
| November 6, 2003 | 1.5 million songs sold on iTMS in one week |
| December 15, 2003 | 25 million songs sold on iTMS |
| March 15, 2004 | 50 million songs sold on iTMS |
| April 28, 2004 | Over 70 million songs sold on iTMS |
| May 5, 2004 | 3.3 million songs sold on iTMS in one week |
| June 15, 2004 | Apple launches iTMS in UK, France & Germany |
| June 23, 2004 | iTMS in Europe sells 800,000 songs in first week |
| July 12, 2004 | 100 million songs sold on iTMS |
| August 10, 2004 | iTMS catalog tops one million songs |
| October 14, 2004 | 150 million songs sold on iTMS |
| October 26, 2004 | Apple launches iTMS in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain |
| November 30, 2004 | Apple launches iTMS in Canada |
| December 16, 2004 | 200 million songs sold on iTMS |
Observer Comments
Thu Dec 16, 2004 11:32 am Subject: Since 1 year ago yesterday...
This means that, since exactly one year ago yesterday, their sales figures have been roughly as follows:
12/15/03 - 3/15/04: 280,000/day; 1.9 million/week; 100 million/year
3/15/04 - 7/12/04: 430,000/day; 3.0 million/week; 150 million/year
7/12/04 - 10/14/04: 530,000/day; 3.7 million/week; 190 million/year
10/14/04 - 12/16/04: 800,000/day; 5.6 million/week; 290 million/year
This all takes into account the addition of the assorted European stores as well as the U2 400-songs-in-one-shot deal, and is presumably ramped up even more due to the holiday gift-giving season (iTMS gift certificates?).
It's conceivable that they could hit the 1 BILLION mark as soon as mid 2006...perhaps even sooner.
Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:09 pm Subject: Re: What about NON iPod users
QuoteGuest wrote:
Does this mean that they only counted the songs sold to iPod users? What about the folks that don't use an iPod?
Remember, the iTMS itself doesn't make Apple a whole lot (perhaps $0.10 on the dollar...or perhaps $20 million profit this year); the goal is to push the iPods as much as possible.
FWIW, I've purchased around $300 worth of iTMS music myself, and I don't use an iPod--or any other portable music player, for that matter; I work at home, so I just play music via iTunes itself all day
Thu Dec 16, 2004 3:13 pm Subject: No iPod, but I buy from iTunes
QuoteMace wrote:
Bluedjinn and AFCdLoeb, wonder how many of you guys around. Listen to iTunes more than using iPods? or not even owning one!!!
Is good to know sale of songs in iTMS accelerating.
I do not yet have an iPod, but I have bought a good bit of music, and audio books, from the iTunes Music Store. I work out of a home office and listen to music with iTunes or burn compilations for my auto CD player
I have a gut feeling that the family is getting me an iPod and accessories for Christmas. I already have an iPod belt pouch (Timbuk2), I find them to be the best cell phone carrying cases for my use.
You all have a great weekend
Thu Dec 16, 2004 3:48 pm Subject: Re: Since 1 year ago yesterday...
QuoteBlueDjinn wrote:
This means that, since exactly one year ago yesterday, their sales figures have been roughly as follows:
12/15/03 - 3/15/04: 280,000/day; 1.9 million/week; 100 million/year
3/15/04 - 7/12/04: 430,000/day; 3.0 million/week; 150 million/year
7/12/04 - 10/14/04: 530,000/day; 3.7 million/week; 190 million/year
10/14/04 - 12/16/04: 800,000/day; 5.6 million/week; 290 million/year
This all takes into account the addition of the assorted European stores as well as the U2 400-songs-in-one-shot deal, and is presumably ramped up even more due to the holiday gift-giving season (iTMS gift certificates?).
It's conceivable that they could hit the 1 BILLION mark as soon as mid 2006...perhaps even sooner.
Thanks for the breakdown
It's better to look at these numbers than to try and determine an average per day based on total sales.
I don't think gift certificates are counted in the song totals. I think those songs are added to the tally as the certificates are redeemed.
I expect a huge jump in sales the week following Christmas and the first week of calendar year 2005 as certificates are redeemed.
Thu Dec 16, 2004 3:51 pm Subject:
Just one more thing:
The article says Apple and Pepis launched the 100 million song promotion in October 2003. IIRC the promotion was announced in October but wasn't officially launced until Super Bowl Sunday at the start of February 2004.
The Pepsi campaign was poorly executed and I expect a better roll out for Pepsi campaign 2 next year.
Thu Dec 16, 2004 7:42 pm Subject: Comnsumer's investing in Apple
Fairly soon another 50 million or so songs will be sold and around that time consumers will have an INVESTMENT of around a quarter of a BILLION dollars in iTunes music. Throw the Flash iPod into the works in January and by the end of 2005 that investment might exceed a billion dollars.
Now, how would you like to be a competitor trying to get consumers with a huge investment in the music to switch from the iPod?
The concept of a consumer investment in iTunes music is interesting to me as it is something that MS will find almost impossible to overcome. It's also a concept that is, in all probably, just starting to dawn on the folks at Apple. When they started the music store they felt they would sell a million songs a year - if they were lucky!
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