Universal and Sky to launch a DRM-Free Subscription service.

[chwisch87]

One of my biggest quirks with itunes is the lack of subscription service. I have been, through rhapsody and now the Zune marketplace, been on a subscription service in one form or another for the past 6 years. I don't like the idea of own music; I mean sure there is some stuff i really like and will listen to forever but i don't really want to buy the current "top 40" over and over again when i more than likely won't like it in 3 months.

Well, one of the things i really wish itunes would do is go subscription ... now i know that is a mixed bag with the apple crowd. Many of them I think defend itunes simply because its an apple product. Honestly however, Apple would make a lot more money on just 15% margins through a subscription service (assuming you could get a couple 10 million people to sign up for it ... which i think is very well possible).

Now if Sky and Universal are doing a DRM free service ... what exactly is there to stop me from importing that music into itunes?

[Tao]

What is stopping you from downloading illegally and importing it into iTunes??? Nothing.

If you want a subscription service then continue on using what you use, but if you want to buy your music use iTunes.

It's difficult to argue a subscription service should be in place for iTunes when iTunes is making so much money.

For me personally, the music I like now will be music i'll like in five years. Reason why? Because I don't like redundant music. I'm a huge fan of music and will dig in to the past to get classic records and i'll just as easily spot artists who are making quality non-redundant music now.

If I wanted to hear the top 40 i'd put on the radio.

But again personally, this is the same reason I will always own albums physically as I like to collate a collection.