Apple Japan's iTunes Music Store opening

[Taro Toporific]

Will Japan finally get an iTunes Music Store?
iTMS Apple Japan has invited select journalists a "special music event" on August 4th at 10am. The event will take place at the Tokyo International Forum and it is expected to be the launch of the iTunes Music Store in Japan.

http://www.tuaw.com/2005/07/27/will-japan-finally-get-an-itunes-music-store/

[Taro Toporific]

Apple Opens iTunes Music Store in Japan
AP via Yahoo! News, August 3, 2005
TOKYO - Apple Computer Inc. launched its music download service, the iTunes Music Store, in Japan on Thursday with 1 million songs....
.... Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in Tokyo as he announced the launching of the iTunes service. "The future looks very, very bright for the iPod in Japan."
It could also change the local music business, where people who download music are still accustomed to paying more money for a limited lineup of tunes from sites for PCs and mobile phones that cost about 200 yen (US$1.80; euro1.50) a tune or charge monthly fees.
Jobs said iTunes will have 1 million songs in Japan, including Japanese and international, with most costing 150 yen ($1.35) each. Only 10 percent of the songs cost 200 yen ($1.80), he said.
Most iPod owners in Japan now either buy or rent CDs. CD rentals, offered at DVD and video rental stores, are very popular in Japan.....more...

[gkanai]

No participation from Sony Music Japan, btw, who is the #1 record label in Japan.

[ichigo partygirl]

Man i want NZ to get one!!!!!!! Most people i know have ipods..... Ohh well if Japan's is half decent ill use when i come. 150-200yen seems a bit steep to me though

[Mulboyne]

AFP: Napster and Tower Records join forces in Japan
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Online song-seller Napster and real-world disc retailer Tower Records announced that they are teaming up to compete in the Japanese music market. Napster Japan will be launched out of Tower's headquarters in Japan within the next year, company officials said in a statement. Tower will contribute seven million dollars and provide managers, local music content, and marketing through its 108 stores in Japan. Napster is to provide its online music cache and resources, plus three million dollars. Tower will own 70 percent of the joint venture and Napster the remainder, the statement said. The service will be "carefully tailored to local tastes and rich in Japanese repertoire," Napster chairman Chris Gorog said.

[gkanai]

150-200yen seems a bit steep to me though

Strawberry girl- you can rent entire CDs at Tsutaya for 300 yen. Then you can go home and rip the whole album to your iPod at any quality you want. Much cheaper and NO DRM.

Skip iTunes Music Store- it's a horrible waste of money.

[ichigo partygirl]

150-200yen seems a bit steep to me though

Strawberry girl- you can rent entire CDs at Tsutaya for 300 yen. Then you can go home and rip the whole album to your iPod at any quality you want. Much cheaper and NO DRM.

Skip iTunes Music Store- it's a horrible waste of money.

this is a good point of course. Id forgotten how cheap renting CDs in Japan is.
Guess the store wont get much buisness unless it either puts down the prices, or makes avaliable underground/hard to find foreign music - cant see it happening

[6810]

150-200yen seems a bit steep to me though

Strawberry girl- you can rent entire CDs at Tsutaya for 300 yen. Then you can go home and rip the whole album to your iPod at any quality you want. Much cheaper and NO DRM.

Skip iTunes Music Store- it's a horrible waste of money.

so is renting if you have a pc and an internet connection...

[mr. sparkle]

Yeah, but that's illegal. Most people would rather not do illegal things if there is a low cost alternative.

[Taro Toporific]

Beck showed up and played a tune or two at the Apple Japan's iTunes Music Store opening.

http://www.rbbtoday.com/cgi-bin/news/pict/20050804/24643/jpg/050804_beck02_l.html

[tonikoro]

No participation from Sony Music Japan, btw, who is the #1 record label in Japan.

"He who controls the Spice controls the Universe!"

I knew they were up to something this week, been getting that vibe all week at work. But at last! It's about time! -Somehow I think Sony and the rest of the fucks with their hands in the J-Music industry cookiejar are looking into the face of some major reform in modern music content. Simply put, apple is pissing in sony's face about now.

Though, having looked around the iTMS-Japan, is it me or does it still seem really limited? I mean, I'm actually using it to stay far the hell away from J-pop crap.

[fatslug]

A new big I MAC store is being opened in SHIBUYA tomorow !!!!!

[Mulboyne]

Businessweek: Downloads for Japan iTunes hit a million
AUG. 7 9:16 P.M. ET Downloads at Apple's iTunes Music Store have reached a million tunes in Japan in just four days, the company said Monday.

[American Oyaji]

Businessweek: Downloads for Japan iTunes hit a million
AUG. 7 9:16 P.M. ET Downloads at Apple's iTunes Music Store have reached a million tunes in Japan in just four days, the company said Monday.

SHAZAM!!

Somehow I think Sony and the rest of the fucks with their hands in the J-Music industry cookiejar are looking into the face of some major reform in modern music content. Simply put, apple is pissing in sony's face about now.

Apple didn't just piss in Sony's face, they shat on it.

[Taro Toporific]

No participation from Sony Music Japan, btw, who is the #1 record label in Japan.

DIE SONY DIE!

Musicians working to join iTunes in Japan
The Associated Press/TOKYO
AUG. 10 3:01 A.M. ET Japanese musicians under contract with Sony and other labels that haven't joined Apple's iTunes Music Store are starting to defy their recording companies and trying to get their music on the popular download service launched last week in Japan.
At least one artist has already gone against his label to offer his songs on iTunes. And a major agency that manages Japanese musicians said Wednesday it was interested in a possible deal with Apple Computer Inc., regardless of the recording companies' positions....more...

[B Gallagher]

150-200yen seems a bit steep to me though

Strawberry girl- you can rent entire CDs at Tsutaya for 300 yen. Then you can go home and rip the whole album to your iPod at any quality you want. Much cheaper and NO DRM.

Skip iTunes Music Store- it's a horrible waste of money.

this is a good point of course. Id forgotten how cheap renting CDs in Japan is.
Guess the store wont get much buisness unless it either puts down the prices, or makes avaliable underground/hard to find foreign music - cant see it happening

Individual songs on iTunes started off at .99c USD. Which today, comes to 109Y. So yeah, they are a bit expensive. I'll use it when I'm over there, but probably only to pick up random one-off songs I can't find at Tsutaya and so on.

However, I will be happy that I'll finally be able to download the free songs of the week! No iTunes Store in NZ yet...

How many did they sell in the first 4 days? 500,000? I think this will slow down. It's like that when anything new is released - everyone is all over it at first, then things slow down.

Oh, and have a look at this to explain the 150Y and 200Y pricings on iTunes Japan - http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1223

[Kuang_Grade]

150-200yen seems a bit steep to me though

Strawberry girl- you can rent entire CDs at Tsutaya for 300 yen. Then you can go home and rip the whole album to your iPod at any quality you want. Much cheaper and NO DRM.

Skip iTunes Music Store- it's a horrible waste of money.

While you're right about the DRM (although burning itunes tracks onto a audio CD and then ripping that CD solves that problem-although you have to manually add the track details) you'll have to wait a year to rent a CD And that requires you to go to Tsutaya AND they have the CD you want to rent in stock AND there are more than 2 tracks you want on the CD .

On my own itunes usage (about $100 in a year or so), I haven't bought more than 3 tracks off any single CD yet nor have I bought any complete albums. While there are some drawbacks with itunes, for me, the single greatest thing about it (and this is often lost in various itunes grumblings on places like slashdot) is I am no longer required to pay for shit tracks I don't want/not having to buy a whole CD to get the three tracks I actually want.

[tonikoro]

No participation from Sony Music Japan, btw, who is the #1 record label in Japan.

DIE SONY DIE!

Musicians working to join iTunes in Japan
The Associated Press/TOKYO
AUG. 10 3:01 A.M. ET Japanese musicians under contract with Sony and other labels that haven't joined Apple's iTunes Music Store are starting to defy their recording companies and trying to get their music on the popular download service launched last week in Japan.
At least one artist has already gone against his label to offer his songs on iTunes. And a major agency that manages Japanese musicians said Wednesday it was interested in a possible deal with Apple Computer Inc., regardless of the recording companies' positions....more...

You Know, I thought it was funny when I saw your post, as I was just looking at this link here after clicking my stock widgit for the news on APPL (presently trading some $43 and change) http://finance.lycos.com/qc/apple/story.aspx?story=200508102322_APO_V0652

Apple didn't just piss in Sony's face, they shat on it.

Let's change that to Apple taking a big Bukkake facial on Sony.
The revolution has begun, the flood gates open, and My employer (Mr. Jobs) will probably get on stage in spring or sooner donning a most righteous errection. I think the best thing Apple needs to do now is get more added music up and fast, as the opening selection was fair, but there is still a shortage in things. Some of the music is also showing up repeated in certain categories. They Need more songs up and fast.

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: Apple's iTunes sold albums for 50 yen

Apple Computer Inc. must be singing the blues after discovering its Japanese iTunes Web site sold albums last week for just 50 yen each. The cost was a fraction of the intended 1,500-yen price, sources said. While the company has declined to comment on the matter, the sources said the low price at the iTunes Music Store was likely a mistake... Dozens of albums, including those by rock group RC Succession and singer Saori Yuki, sold at the price... "Unlike for ordinary merchandise sales, a music download service never runs out of stock,"

Possibly a genuine mistake but this kind of reported "incident" also helps drive traffic to the site.

[emperor]

DIE SONY DIE!

Japanese artists signing exclusive deals with iTunes
Thursday, October 6, 2005 @ 3:05pm

Apple is continuing to struggle with iTunes licensing terms with the music labels in Japan, forcing artists to go direct to make their songs available via iTunes. Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), BMG Japan, Warner Music Japan, and Victor Entertainment still haven't reached an agreement with iTunes Japan to offer their tracks to the masses, leaving artists frustrated and leading them to sign exclusive deals with iTunes. One industry insider noted that "as much as industry people tried to convince the press and the public that iTunes would fail in Japan or take years to get anywhere, the reality is that iTunes is doing very well, and artists and their fans want their material available on iTunes," according to a report from The Daily Yomiuri [updated].

Singer-songwriter Motoharu Sano is frustrated that his back catalog is not available to iTunes users, because it is signed with Sony. Sano, like several others, has signed a direct deal with iTunes Japan to offer up his music, according to the report.

Singer-songwriter Kazufumi Miyazawa has recorded a new version of his international hit, "Shima Uta", and is distributing it via iTunes Japan as well. Tokyo-based label, publishing and management company Bad News has made its 150 songs available on iTunes Japan, and acknowledged that "it's a bit late." Pop-rock band the Ulfuls, currently signed to Toshiba-EMI, recently released an album entitled "iTunes Originals", made up of previously released songs, live tracks and new versions of old songs.

[canman]

I was given a Creative Zen Neeon MP3 player, but I don't particularly like their software. Is it possible to use ITunes with another MP3 player or do you need to use an IPod only? I especially like the idea of the podcasts and things like that. I'm not so interested in the songs as much as the talk radio etc.

[Taro Toporific]

Apple's iPod, iTunes 'big in Japan'
The Register, 16th November 2005 16:56 GMT
Apple's iPod has taken almost 60 per cent of the Japanese portable digital music player market, the company claimed today, citing local news source Business Computer News (BCN). The iPod leads its nearest - alas unnamed - rival by a "wide margin", it added.
Meanwhile, the iTunes Music Store has become the number one online music service in Japan, Apple said, though without stating exactly how it knows this to be the case.
Apple launched ITMS in Japan on 4 August, and went on to sell more than 1m songs in the online shop's first four days in business - more songs, it claimed at the time, than other Japanese services have sold in a month...more...

[Mulboyne]

Reuters: iTunes slays Japan's Oricon

Oricon on Wednesday announced its exit from Japan's PC music download market, becoming the first victim among local players to the surging popularity of Apple's iTunes music store. Oricon, best known as a publisher of music hit charts, will instead post links from its website to online music stores and concentrate on music downloads for mobile phones, which are far more popular than PC-based downloads in Japan. An Oricon spokesman said: "The iPod has outrun us all. If iPod users could download music from our site, we may have waited to see if the tide turns from mobile phones to online downloads." Oricon's online download store for PCs has been losing about $213,900 per month since its launch in March 2005. Raising its monthly download volume of 90,000 tunes and turning a profit would be impossible in the near term, the spokesman said. But even the market-leading iTunes store holds only about five per cent of the online song distribution market in Japan, where music lovers opt to download tunes to mobile phones from phone operators such as Japan's KDDI...more...

[Mulboyne]