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
Sol,
Er, click the “Buy Album” button instead of the “Buy Song” buttons.
In the USA – we’ve had it for quite awhile, so we’re used to how it works.
Have fun!
So are the prices considered good enough by you “blokes” down there?
What’s with all this Stringer bashing. If any of you knew what you were talking about or knew the man himself, you would know he is a very decent and kind man, not to mention has a wickedly wry sense of humor. But I guess since you have no clue what is going on just bash. The man has been in charge of Sony for a few months, give him a little time to turn things around.
You are the same people who when they come out with somekind of partnership with sony are going to praise the ground he walks on.
Dashboard currency converter says $1.69 AU =$1.27 US
I think the lowest prices for songs are in the US
Hi jiggy peeps. Does Iraq or Afghanistan have iTunes yet? I wonder . . . ? Maybe with iTunes it will give the terrorists something to do instead of cutting off people’s heads and blowing up people with their naughty bombs.
Luke: “Dashboard currency converter says $1.69 AU =$1.27 US
I think the lowest prices for songs are in the US”
Nope, Canada. CDN$0.99 per track.
Yep, Gordon has it correct. Canada “seems” (MW!) to have the lowest price of all iTMS localizations at only $0.99CAD and no 7% GST added.
CDN$.99 = USD$.83 Luckeeee
So how do we get a Canadian credit card? Or at the very least, some Canadian credit card details.
Canadian iTMS prices are a bit lower, Luke. 99 cents Canadian. That’s about 84 cents American. I hope it stays that way.
Here’s a welcome congrats to all the Aussies out there from a Canuck – I know how it feels, Canada sure felt like a long time coming to iTunes Music Store (still no TV shows), I feel for you.
However, the US doesn’t have the cheapest, I think we do (Canada). We pay $0.99 CDN per track, which works out to at today’s exchange rate $0.82 USD.
Canada is the best place in the world to live…
hehehe
It’s too expensive, IMHO.
After currency conversion, we’re still paying 27% more than the US.
I’d like to think kindly of Apple, that the 27 cents is all going to the “greedy” music companies – but in reality Apple has always done the same profiteering with it’s hardware prices down here in OZ.
Won’t stop me buying Apple though. The competition sucks.
“Canada is the best place in the world to live…”
Canada is the second-largest land mass,
The first nation of hockey,
and the best part of North America!
Yes, his name is “mrmikey” and HE IS CANADIAN!
The price is proof of what we’ll see when Apple renegotiates its prices with the record companies next spring. We’ll see a huge hike.
Canada is the best place in the world to live…. All things other than the weather, customs and taxes considered, I’m prepared to agree with you.
If you don’t mind paying about $0.60 out of every $1.00 you make in taxes to the 3 different levels of government and then watching while most of that money is spent by politicians buying the next election by bribing voters with their own money, then Canada is a great place to live.
How much is the GST?
I highly doubt that Apple takes the majority of the difference. Given their track record, my bet would be on the record companies.
mark
Oct 24, 05 – 10:51 pm
How much is the GST?
12.5 percent like NZ I think or pretty close to it.
I think Apple NZ is coping a bit of flak today.
How about a nice Molson to all on this list…
I’m sure the record companies, with their profit margins, could spot us all a brew or two….
(and if you believe that, I have a wondrous piece of waterfront property in Tuktuktuk I’d be willing to part with….)
hehehe
Mikey via iPodDailyNews.com, not all albums can be purchased by clicking on a ‘Buy Album’ button because not all album pages feature the button. For example, Supergrass’ ‘Road to Ruen’ can be purchased as individual tracks but not as a complete album; it is very odd because two of the tracks listed are ‘Album Only.’ iTMS in Australia must have been a last minute rush-job if they have bugs like this on the first day of operation.
aus gst is 10%
nz gst is 12.5%
Hi Sol — Yep you’re right, there are sometimes “mistakes” @ iTMS. But for me, the BIG PROBLEM doesn’t have anything to do with those “mistakes.” The BIG PROBLEM for me has always been how much money I can spend at the place. The site is so rich with a variety of internal links and ways of coming across so many songs I really want, some of which I’d not even known about until iTMS arrived. My guess is that you’ll treasure it despite the “mistakes.” Hope so.
All together now
Absolutely everybody (everybody everybody)
Absolutely everybody (in the whole wide world)
Absolutely everybody (every boy and every girl)
Absolutely everybodaaaayyyy
$1.69 is just too expensive. Not only is it a rip-off compared to the US/Canada/Europe etc., it’s well beyond a psychological threshold – I really don’t think it will succeed at any more than $1.49. And a lot of the album prices are more expensive than many CDs!
Austria, Europe; Australia, Australia.