Jay-Z, like Radiohead and AC/DC, shuns iTunes
Jay-Z is retired. Yet, his new album "American Gangster," is trying bigger than ever. But, it will never find its way onto iTunes, namely because Jay Hova doesn’t want the record parted out track-by-track. “Let me make it clear - I don’t have a problem with iTunes. It’s just our interests were not in line,” he said. “No one can dictate to an artist, any artist, how they should express themselves.” Not to argue with someone who’s found so much success, but wouldn’t an "Album Only" option on iTunes solve the problem? Surely, someone of Jay-Z’s status could command a slightly different execution of essentially the same plan. Oh, we get it! ITunes sales don’t count as SoundScan, so the unretired "Roc Boy" wants to get as many scanned numbers as possible. Sneaky, sneaky!
Hov lookin’ might greasy in the picture!
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Do u really think he gives a fuck about soundscan? Lets b for real, wen a director, directs and makes a movie to dvd , u don’t go out and buy the pinnicle of the movie , u cop the whole bird, u underdig ill leave u with this…….. order the patreezy, while talkin to this breezy…. haaaahaha
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SoundScan?
Yeah Im slow, what does this mean
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I was so excited to buy it from the itunes wifi store only to discover that it wasn’t available on itunes. I understand that he doesn’t want people to be able to buy individual songs, so he should have just made it album only. So I did what any other self respecting ipod owner/ ex jayz fan would do- I downloaded it from limewire.
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what a premadonna? just put out the music. Everyone has to control every little thing about it after it leaves their hand. He probably would have DRM all over it so that people cant rip it off the discs so it would stay “Album Only”.
Very lame, people don’t want to buy the filler tracks…..
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But, you there are RIAA digital download awards, both with gold and platinum. So he’d still get a bunch of plaques.
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Who cares
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weird cuz I bought American Gangster on iTunes last week…soooo what happened?
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Interestingly enough you can download the album from Amazon
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I’ve still got to see the freakin’ movie!!!!!!!!
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It seems as this was an issue on the actual release date. I had pre-ordered the CD and was able to download it off iTunes the night of 11.5.07. I also saw that it was available but in the morning it was not posted anymore.
Amazon has it but only as an album purchase. iTunes should follow that lead. I am sure that there is more to the story…
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Sales thru iTunes do count towards soundscan. iTunes does not allow you to sell your album only as a whole. They require you to allow it to be sold as individual tracks as well. Album only tracks are bonus/added value content for those who buy complete albums.
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well as much as i love jay i got to say that buying a entire album to listen to just 1 song does not make any sence either.
goin with Amazon was not a verry smart move i must say, it only takes one person to buy the now DRM free album there and next thing you know its Leak all over the web for people to torrent the entire album for free, good luck jay with your hard work your goin to need it really
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the album leaked way before it was released in stores who buys music from itunes anyhow roc boys in the building tonite!!
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itunes enslaves you to apples business model as you can run the file format on non appl hardware or play it without the itunes app itself.
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you guys really think that Jay-Z is worried about money? You’re kidding yourselves, he grossed 220 million last year as CEO of Def Jam! He’s simply protesting iTunes…and any fan of hip hop who listens to this album will tell you, it’s brilliant, in my opinion there are no filler tracks. Jay Z didn’t get to where he’s at by producing albums like most artists with 2 good tracks and 12 terrible ones.
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Don’t worry guys, it’s a weak album. I’m a big Jay-Z fan, but this was a weak effort. The only songs I will listen to and actually like are Roc Boys and American Gangster. I was going to buy the real CD anyway so this didn’t change anything for me, but its disappointing.
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he just wants it his way. On well I got it before it was released and its not that good. Ill probably delete it anyways. I see this as just another form of DRM
and it doesnt work.
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It’s just an inconvience. I wanted the album but when I realized I’d have to go into a store to buy it I was turned off. I’ve been buying music from itunes for awhile and the wifi music store has made it so much easier. There’s no damn best buy or walmart in my hood, it’s not that damn easy to buy an album in a store!
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Anyone who thinks this album has “filler tracks” is sadly mistaken. This is a great album. He did an amazing job at telling a story in this album. I was VERY suprised when I first heard it. This might even rival the Blueprint as one of his greatest albums ever.
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I really like the way Radiohead plays.. I loved their new cd! Have you seen when they covered The Smiths? The band sang The Headmaster Ritual in a webcast. Here is the video: weshow.com/us/p/23339/radiohead_the_headmaster_ritual_live
They are great aren’t they?
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Hova is correct, no one should dictate to artist on how they should express themselves. HOWEVER, this is not art for art’s sake, this is also about commercial suceess, and if you ignore how your customers/fans want their music it is only a matter of time before you are pirated or worse irrelevant
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Jay Z is a pretty good artist but what he is trying to do is annoying. People do not want your whole cd, we want maybe 2 tracks because the rest usually suck. Thats how it is with the lame commercial artist who think they are great. Underground artist are mostly better overall and are not controlled by the corporate puppetiers.
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Jay actually has a decent point. The way the album is structured, its supposed to correlate, if you’re missing tracks you won’t get the full message.
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He’s right! How would you like taking a PAY CUT? Limewire, Itunes and all other sight like that leak music and let you download for free as long as someone else buys it. One person buys, 20,000 download. If you make great money at your job and your boss tells you that he has a new partner and he could only pay you half. Would that be alright? NO!
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