By Jo Best, 13 January 2005 14:45
NEWS Napster has cut the prices of its songs by 20p to bring them into line with Apple' iTunes. The former bad boy of digital music will now match Apple's 79p for a single track.
Napster has also cut the cost of its albums, from £9.99 to £7.95 - also in line with iTunes pricing - with fees for buying songs in bulk through Napster's Track Packs also being trimmed.
The company said that the move was in response to brisk business at Christmas, although the timing - coinciding with Apple's announcement of the iPod Shuffle, which is designed to mop up even more of the digital music market - may not be a coincidence.
Napster has also announced the upcoming launch of its subscription service Napster To Go, scheduled to debut this quarter. For a set fee per month, subscribers can download and play as many songs as they like from the Napster catalogue - now racking up one millions tunes, the company says.
However, if a music fan lets their subscription lapse, all their Napster to Go tracks will disappear into the ether.
No pricing has yet been unveiled for the product but the equivalent offering in the US has a $15-a-month subscription.
The trend towards subscription-based services is one that looks to be getting stronger. As well as a significantly increased profit margin for the operators compared to a pay-per-track system, consumers may be warming to the idea.
According to recent research by analyst house JupiterResearch found that while 16 per cent of online adults in the US wanted a 99-cent single download, 17 per cent were interested in a subscription.
Comments
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1. anonymous
I can't wait till Napster to Go is available. I am 45 and enjoy jazz, country, rock, classical, and beach music, do-wop hip-hop etc... all types from the past 50 years depending on my mood at the time. To purchase all the music I like to hear would be to expensive. Satellite Radio does not give me control of the songs I want to hear.
With Napster to go I will be able to listen to all the songs I want, control the playlist, and if I choose to buy a song I can. I travel a lot and the mobile option is very important. $15.00 per month is very reasonable and if it weren't, my TV Cable bill would be reduced to absorb the new charge.
2. jbelkin
Is Napster mocking Apple with that tagline or the ultimate irony and I can't see the forrest from the trees?
It certainly seems like Napster is selling music that YOU have to give back as soon as your credit card expires.
3. Jim Queen
Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather own my music. Subscription, imho, is no much more than a scam to get my money every month. I'll just continue to buy my 30 or 40 tracks a year and keep them as long as I like.
4. Jason
iTunes and Napster lowered prices to .79 per song? Why is it then thier programs are both still showing .99 per song?