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Amazon #2 Online Music Retailer Behind iTunes

Wednesday March 26, 2008 4:02 pm PDT by Arnold Kim
USAToday reports that Amazon has managed to take the #2 spot amongst digital music retailers behind iTunes with their MP3 Store. No sales numbers have been released, so it's difficult to gauge exactly how close a competitor Amazon is becoming.

This information comes from the four major labels who played their part in making it so. Amazon has been provided access to a larger number of unprotected music from the major labels to stock their MP3 Store.

Apple now has 2 million songs from EMI and independent labels available without DRM, out of its 6 million-song catalog. Amazon offers 4.5 million DRM-free songs.

For its part, Amazon has done well providing seamless integration with Apple's iTunes software on the Mac.
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iPoodOverZune
51 months ago
competition is good :)
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Eidorian
51 months ago
Sexy iTunes integration and MP3s. What's not to like?
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diehardmacfan
51 months ago
booooo go iTunes. Amazon cannot get into first!!!
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Frisco
51 months ago
I love Amazon, but still get my downloads from iTunes, at least for now.
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Brianstorm91
51 months ago

Sexy iTunes integration and MP3s. What's not to like?


Er, being able to get them here in the UK'd be a start.
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xUKHCx
51 months ago

What's not to like?


This

Please note that Amazon MP3 is currently only available to US customers.


Although iTunes doesn't have that larger world reach but is certainly a lot better than Amazon.
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TXCraig
51 months ago
Do all of the media companies just hate Apple? Amazon has more music ALL DRM free and they have only have been doing this a year or so. Amazon also has 4 times the number of moves for rent as Apple. Amazon also has TV show rentals unlike iTunes.

How can Amazon wheel and deal with the media companies but Apple always seems to have trouble with this....
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LeviG
51 months ago
But how many of these sales would have been through itunes if the record companies had been fair (yeah I know not likely) and given the same amount of drm free tracks to Apple. The only reason apple isn't getting these sales is purely out of spite from the record companies, having realised that the consumer doesn't want drm after trying to enforce it for so long.
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Fuzzy14
51 months ago

How can Amazon wheel and deal with the media companies but Apple always seems to have trouble with this....


Despite Steve Jobs being the founder of Pixar and on the board of Disney?
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Surely
51 months ago
Is Amazon's pricing the same as iTunes' pricing? Do they typically offer their albums for the same or less than iTunes?

I did a few quick searches:

Juno soundtrack: iTunes $9.99, Amazon $8.99
Ashtray Rock: iTunes $9.99, Amazon $8.99
Mothership: iTunes $13.99, Amazon $12.99

Does Amazon tack on taxes, or if it says $8.99, it's $8.99?
Are they typically cheaper than iTunes, or was I just lucky in my choices?

Hmmmm..........
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