iTunes Impact

Ever since apple launch this product on April 28th 2003, we have seen a dramatic change to the music industry. At first this product was a total hit, and seemed as though it would monopolize completely. CNN’s article, “How iTunes changed music and the world”, notes many of these changes in further detail. By 2010 iTunes was the largest music retail on the planet….. A reason for this success could be due to our societies instant-gratification culture; and obviously iTunes was something that fit this new trend. It not only changed the industry but also the way people listen to music. Here are some of the effects as a result of the release: 

• It celebrated the song, not the album
• It rewarded impatience
• Killed the mixtape
• changed sound quality
• destroyed the appreciation of album art
• Made apps main stream

As a result we don’t listen to music the same way that we once did. With the emerging websites like Pandora and Spotify we can see that iTunes is starting to diminish before our eyes since these product are evolving fast and have more appealing features for viewers. 

Spotify vs. Rdio

I recently downloaded the free Spotify software and enjoy the system, but after reading about Rdio I might think twice before upgrading to Spotify Premium. The New York Times highlights in its article released March 20th that the Spotify interface is to boring and lacks the visual attractiveness needed for real success. I agree, it almost looks outdated and neglects to show off the album covers and artistic design that would attract many other users. The Rdio application and program is said to take advantage of these aspects  catching the eyes of many prospective users. The visual focus proves that a programs design is highly important even if the software is flawless a very important concern is how pleasing the system is to the eye. After reading this article I will be conducting some serious research before making an investment to Spotify, especially if their are programs like Rdio that are simpler and more attractive.