THE 
April 8, 2009 Music News: Nas + New iTunes Pricing
Queensbridge rapper Nas and raggae artist Damian “Jr Gong” Marley announced yesterday that they’re in the studio working on a collaborative album, Distant Relatives, set for a June release. The title of the album was inspired by the pair’s relationship, but also by their shared African ancestry, which is a reoccurring theme throughout the work.
“Africa is the backbone of the world and the foundation of everything and Africans are in a situation where they need help more than anywhere else,” Damian Marley said in a statement.
“As an American, we have so much even in a so-called recession that a neighborhood like Queensbridge or Red Hook is Beverly Hills compared to the way people are living in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Ghana,” added Nas. “So obviously if we making records with that theme, there’s going to be things I want to build on. I think Africa has a lot to teach us.”
New iTunes pricing structure after the jump.
The pair plan on touring internationally to support the release, and are headliners of this summer’s Rock The Bells festival along with Big Boi, Common, The Roots, KRS-One, House of Pain, Tech N9ne, Murs, RZA, Raekwon, among others.
In other music news, the era of all iTunes songs selling for $.99 is over. This is a move in an effort to reap more profits from the music industry’s ever-shrinking business. The sale of digital tracks has boomed, whereas album sales continue to decline at a rapid pace. Case in point: Flo Rida’s No. 1 single, “Round Round” sells 2.6 million digital downloads but the album, R.O.O.T.S, opens this week with a comparatively small 55,000. Why purchase a full album when you can download the tracks you want?
Originally announced in January, iTunes has begun offering songs at three price points: 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29. Record companies pick the prices, similar to how they do in record stores and online. The pattern seems to be that newer singles are offered at the $1.29 tier, and older titles like Mario’s 2005 hit, “Let Me Love You” are $.99, with even older titles offered at $.69.
Apple offers DRM-free (digital rights management) music that allows songs to be copied to any CD, computer or music player that supports the AAC format Apple uses. AAC and MP3 are two methods of compressing large audio files while preserving audio quality. Apple chose the DRM-free route to stay in line with competitors like Amazon.
Nick
April 8, 2009 at 5:00 pm
DAMN iTUNES, I knew it would b a matter of time b4 that ended-haha, ALWAYS MAKIN THEIR MONEY, I didnt want 2 get stupid iTUNES, BUT hey, its the hottness, rite?
UGH!
AIKO
April 8, 2009 at 5:19 pm
THAT GREAT ITUNES
The Artiste
April 9, 2009 at 12:48 am
Itunes are useless, I’d rather just buy full albums which I add to my music collection. That is what a true artiste does!
Spicy Goddess
April 9, 2009 at 1:05 am
I think it’s a good thing they are reducing the pricing of the OLDER tunes, that makes total sense. But the record companies are some GREEDY fuggs & that’s why ppl are DLing free sh*t!
They don’t even attempt to do good music anymore!
Spicy Goddess
April 9, 2009 at 2:16 am
@ The Ariste, okay it’s all well & good that u don’t mind paying $15 & up for a sucky FULL album, but some of us JUST like the single! So itunes is good in that regard!
yes
April 9, 2009 at 3:41 am
Nas looks cute
I don’t think the pricing will make much of a difference, they will buy the songs they want unless the artist has a full album of material worth buying