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Jon Bon Jovi says iTunes is a prison and he can't break free. He says that the music business has been shot to the heart and Apple CEO Steve Jobs is to blame.
Rock superstar says Steve Jobs is killing music with iTunes

Apple, Inc., owner of the world's largest online music store, today yields tremendous power in the music business and is able to make or break musicians.  Even major record labels who are used to abusing customers and musicians alike find themselves victims of the power of iTunes.  Apple can essentially name its own terms, and refusing to comply is essentially business suicide, given the amount of revenue that iTunes generates.

That situation is very bad news according to rock legend Jon Bon Jovi.  The front man for the iconic 80s group Bon Jovi, he says that Steve Jobs promises musicians heaven, but puts them through hell.  

He says that because of Apple, independent music stores are going out of business.  He says record storeowners should hold on to what they've got -- it doesn't make a difference if they make it or not.  But he admits there's likely no one to save them, the damage is done.

In his interview with The Sunday Times, a British newspaper, Mr. Bon Jovi states, "Kids today have missed the whole experience of putting the headphones on, turning it up to 10, holding the jacket, closing their eyes and getting lost in an album; and the beauty of taking your allowance money and making a decision based on the jacket, not knowing what the record sounded like, and looking at a couple of still pictures and imagining it."

Now such stores are living on a prayer, thanks to Steve Jobs.  He comments, "God, it was a magical, magical time. I hate to sound like an old man now, but I am, and you mark my words, in a generation from now people are going to say: 'What happened?' Steve Jobs is personally responsible for killing the music business."

Mr. Bon Jovi has always prided himself on doing things his way.  But Steve Jobs is making it hard for him to live while he's alive.  

On the other hand, iTunes has made superstars out of some obscure independent artists, even as big time artists like Bon Jovi and brick and mortar stores find themselves down on their luck.  In other words, Apple offers artists great visibility, but is merciless in its pricing demands.

Ultimately, the industry might be halfway there to bucking the Apple beast.  Google is reportedly preparing to launch a major streaming music service.  That could mean an end to the era of Apple being able to list its demands to the music industry.

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Best Article Ever!
By Azethoth on 3/14/2011 10:46:48 PM , Rating: 3
It even has its own rocking theme song!

