Price-fixing probe

A formal inquiry into price-fixing was recently launched by the US Department of Justice. It would not surprise me if this is the case, though it is somewhat strange to think that a company representing artists (take note of that last word) would want to voluntarily suggest that all content produced by their artists is worth the same as content produced by other artists. At some point, everyone involved, including Apple, will have to come to terms with the fact that not all music is created equal.

Although it would be sad to find that these companies were engaging in such, it would also be exciting . I say this because it may help explain why pricing in the online music business is so static, aside from Apple's insistence on maintaining the 99cent/79p model and everyone else's propensity to follow suit. Although I definitely agree with Apple that an general price increase will drive music fans back toward piracy, I respect the label's right (and Apple's as well) to make more money for a product that is in high demand. I also would suggest that there are tracks on iTunes today that would sell significantly more copies if the price was lower, thereby increasing profitability for the label and Apple, and increasing visibility for the artist.