Apple Launches iTunes Store Initiative for Music-Themed Movies

Billboard reports that Apple has launched a new section of its iTunes Store called "Music Movies" [iTunes Store], featuring video content with a music focus such as music documentaries, concert films, and movie musicals. Apple is also reportedly seeking to strike deals to bring new movie-themed video content to the iTunes Store before such releases are brought to DVD.

The most visible change to the iTunes service will be a Music Movies landing page dedicated to music films such as concert movies, documentaries and music-focused feature films. Additionally, Apple plans to negotiate exclusive access to new music-themed movies to make them available for home distribution on iTunes before the physical DVD makes its way to retail shelves or rental stores.

Billboard notes that Apple is currently featuring pre-orders for It Might Get Loud [iTunes Store], a forthcoming documentary focusing on guitarists The Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White, as well as older content such as John Lennon's Imagine, Prince's Purple Rain, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The company hopes to increase video sales on iTunes in part by luring music consumers to its library of music-themed movies. While Apple has not released any specific figures, it sells far more music than videos, and hopes to create a strong bridge between its music catalog and its video catalog by focusing on content that appeals to music fans.

The report notes that while DVD sales have experienced a recent slight dip, music-themed DVDs have seen an extraordinary decline in sales, with revenue falling over 50% from 2007 to 2008 and even further since then. Consequently, Apple's push into the promotion of music-themed movies is likely to be well-received by the industry as customers continue to move away from physical media toward downloadable content for their entertainment needs.