It’s there, in iTunes. See for yourself.
[Click to launch iTunes Music Store Australia]
Songs sell for AUD $1.69 and music videos, Pixar shorts for AUD $3.39. No television shows.
No sign of Sony BMG artists such as Avril Lavigne, Alicia Keys, Fiona Apple, etc.
[UPDATE: 7:00pm ET: Apple’s official press release follows.]
Apple today launched the revolutionary iTunes Music Store in Australia, giving Australian music fans the same innovative features, breakthrough pricing and seamless integration with iPod that have made iTunes the world’s most popular music jukebox and online music store. The iTunes Music Store is now available in 21 countries and features the most music of any digital music store in Australia with over one million songs from major and independent record labels and over 1,000 music videos. Priced at just $1.69 per song, $3.39 per video and with most albums at $16.99 including GST, the iTunes Music Store in Australia is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music online.
“We’re thrilled to bring the revolutionary iTunes Music Store to Australia,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes in the press release. “iTunes features the largest catalogue of local and international music in Australia with over one million songs, enabling music fans to purchase their favourites with one click and have them automatically sync to their iPod.”
Exclusive music featured today includes tracks from Australian artists Missy Higgins, Bernard Fanning, Paul Mac, Evermore, Gyroscope and The Dissociatives. Extensive catalogues are available from Australian greats INXS, Hunters & Collectors, Paul Kelly and Slim Dusty. In addition, there are iTunes Originals from local heroes Spiderbait, and international stars R.E.M., Alanis Morissette, LL Cool J, PJ Harvey and Sting. International exclusives include Madonna’s entire catalogue, digital box sets from U2 and Stevie Wonder, albums with digital booklets from Jack Johnson and Elvis Costello and more exclusives from Black Eyed Peas, Tiesto, Bloc Party, Elbow, Hayley Westenra and Jamie Cullum. Exclusive videos include U2, an online Beastie Boys exclusive and an extensive Madonna catalogue. The iTunes Podcast Directory features over 25,000 Podcasts, including featured Australian Podcasts from ABC, Triple J, Triple M and SBS Radio.
With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as integrated Podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod and groundbreaking personal use rights, the iTunes Music Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music online. The iTunes Music Stores feature the same groundbreaking personal use rights, giving users the ability to play songs on up to five personal computers, burn a single song onto CDs an unlimited number of times, burn the same playlist up to seven times and listen to their music on an unlimited number of iPods.
Pricing & Availability
iTunes for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is available as a free download immediately from http://www.apple.com.au/itunes. Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store for Mac or Windows requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. Music fans in Australia have the option to use iTunes Music Cards for cash purchases on the iTunes Music Store. iTunes Music Cards are available at Coles Myer as well as through the Apple Store (http://www.apple.com.au). iTunes Music Cards will be sold in $20, $50 and $100 denominations and are available through Myer, Megamart, BI-LO, Coles Supermarkets, Pick ‘n’ Pay Hypermarket, Kmart, Target, Coles Express, Officeworks and Harris Technology. Prices include GST.
Advertisement: The New iPod with Video. The ultimate music + video experience on the go. Buy it now at the Apple Store. From $299. Free shipping.
Related articles:
Report: If Apple launches iTunes Music Store Australia tomorrow, Sony BMG won’t be included – October 24, 2005
Report: Apple to launch iTunes Music Store Australia on October 25 – October 24, 2005
Apple to open iTunes Music Store Australia on October 25th? – October 19, 2005
Australia’s million iPod users are all breaking piracy laws – September 22, 2005
Sony and Warner holding out on Apple iTunes Music Store Australia – September 08, 2005
Apple iPod sales humming right along in Australia – July 05, 2005
Australia awaits Apple’s iTunes Music Store launch – May 18, 2005
Record company causes Apple to hit ‘pause’ on Australian iTunes Music Store – May 05, 2005
People are already buying tracks from Apple’s Australian iTunes Music Store – April 27, 2005
Russell Crowe spills the beans: Apple to launch Australian iTunes Music Store on April 28 – April 25, 2005
Report: Apple to launch Australian iTunes Music Store by mid-June – April 10, 2005
RUMOR: Apple to launch Australian iTunes Music Store by ‘end of April’ – March 29, 2005
Report: Apple to debut Australian iTunes Music Store tomorrow – January 10, 2005
Apple Computer to launch Australian iTunes Music Store on January 12? – December 27, 2004
the mdn word takes my comment out of my mouth.
mdn word: boy
as in
Boy oh boy!
Ga’ day mates
Glad to see the Aussies finally get iTunes!
While small compared to a lot of countries Australia is first rate in terms of a lot of fields in technology & science – they just had two Doctors from Perth get the Nobel Prize in Medicine. In my opinion they should be one of the top markets for Apple to move innovation into in initial stages of releases.
MDN: medical!
my MDN word:
control
…as in control the australian music market
MDN word: might, as in I might check it out. . *click into iTunes*, yep it’s there at the top of the list.
Hopefully this will be the end of all the bellyaching about how Apple has been somehow disrespecting their customers in Australia.
It’s gone now. “Austria” is now at the top of the list.
The seasons are reversed down under, it’s April 1st.
iHave no iLife: “It’s gone now. “Austria” is now at the top of the list.”
I’ve still got it.
MW: evidence. The evidence is mounting.
And New Zealand???
iT’s still there at my house. Ha. I’m so glad to see this happening.
Ahhhh, bless.
Now you can all listen to some chilling trance music to mellow out after losing the Ashes.
What? You didn’t expect an Aussie-related story to hit the boards and no-one to comment, surely?
Tsk; that would just be rude…
Real nice dedidcated Australian Podcast page, even. http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPlayListsPage?fcId=83510817&pageType=playlists&id=826&ign-lr=Australian+Podcasts-SeeAll
oops. now the Australian Podcast page link won’t work for me. heh.
These Apple guys are such teases, aren’t they?
Say Hello to iTunes
When Apple kicks the Sony/BMG cartel in the A*s ‘down under’ just like in Japan, maybe ‘Sir’ Howard will get the idea.
Why do I put the ‘ ‘ around sir? As an American we do not recognize titles of nobility. We had a war to get rid of that sh*t over here.
Why no New Zealand? – same banks, same record companies (NZ are branch offices of Australia)….
NZ credit cards work \o/
Geez you guys are quick!!! Ive been wating ALL morning for this!
I’d buy a tune for some mates in OZ but it won’t work. Can’t even send a redeemable iTunes certificate, which is really dumb. So I will still be sending gift certificates for real CDs I guess.
The New Wonder Down Under…
What makes you think he’s a Sir
When will the Galapagos Islands get their iTunes Music Store?!
And BTW, when will 10.4.3 be available?
“And there’s the Hawaiian Falkland islands, and the Bermuda Falkland islands…and hey! there’s even Gilligan Falkland islands…”
Hopefully this will be the end of all the bellyaching about how Apple has been somehow disrespecting their customers in Australia
—
they better use the store dammit.. common 20 mil songs in the first month
Comment: From: ?
Oct 24, 05 – 06:22 pm
The New Wonder Down Under…
What makes you think he’s a Sir
The Queen of the U.K. said so.
Howie Stringer (Sony Cheif) is Welsh-born and a naturalized US citizen. We ought to take his citizenship for that “Sir” sh*t.
While we are at it we could take it from ‘Sir’ Bill Gates, K.C.B.E.
I’m glad that the only royalty we have are people like:
Elvis- King of Rock & Roll
Aretha- Queen of Soul
Prince- The Artist Formerly, Formerly Known of as…
The Hollyweird kind
Babe Ruth- The Sultan of Swing
etc, …
‘No Sony/BMG artists’…… The artists must love that.
How much would it be to buyout Sony’s Music Business? Maybe Apple should invest some of those Billions they have in the Bank.
Great stuff. Now, how can I buy a whole album instead of individual tracks?