Some seven years later, the iTunes Store is making an unlikely come-back

Please accept my apologies if the headline made you feel old, but yes, Apple retired the iTunes desktop app way back in 2019. However, a new report says that the iTunes Store is currently experiencing an unlikely seeming revival. This is thanks to a tactic being used by artists like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Summer Walker, and more … The iTunes Store revolutionized the way people bought music, not only prompting digital sales over physical, but allowing people to buy individual songs rather than an entire album. By the summer of 2019, however, Apple retired the iTunes Mac app in favor of new music, podcasts, and TV apps. The world has largely switched to streaming services, with relatively few people buying music outright, but the Financial Times reports that there is a countermovement underway. The iTunes Store is re-emerging as an unlikely venue for pop stars to hawk collectibles to superfans, reach untapped audiences, and bolster chart positions. Last month, pop superstar Ariana Grande surprise-released a live version of her latest album Petal as an iTunes-only exclusive. This follows a string of iTunes-exclusive releases in recent years from artists such as Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Doja Cat, Summer Walker and Tinashe. Swift is perhaps the best example. The FT reports that her Life of a Showgirl album did better from physical and digital sales in its first week in the US than it did on streaming services. When Ariana Grande announced a surprise release of a live version of her Petal album on iTunes, it jumped from number 15 to number 6 in the charts. Charli XCX went further by making the B-side songs to her Music, Fashion, Film album an iTunes exclusive. A report back in February said that Apple was still marketing iTunes to music labels. Industry experts have mixed views on how well the strategy is likely to work more broadly, but it’s certainly an interesting trend. iPhone Duo cases Beats Woven USB-C cables Certified refurbished Apple products 15% off at apple.com Discounted AirPods Pro 3 Wireless CarPlay adapter 10-year AirTag battery case Logitech MX Master 4 for Mac Photo: fdecomite/CC2.0 FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.