Talk about a 180. After months of complaining about Apple's "indecent" iTunes pricing model, Warner Music Group appears to have had a complete change of heart. On Wednesday, the label actually praised the iTunes store, calling it a prime example of digital music done right, according to MacNN.
"You need to look no further than Apple's iPhone to see how fast brilliantly written software presented on a beautifully designed device with a spectacular user interface will throw all the accepted notions about pricing, billing platforms and brand loyalty right out the window, said Warner Music Group chairman and CEO Edgar Bronfman (pictured right).
Considering that quote sounds like it could have come from Cupertino itself, that's some spectacular brown-nosing for a music exec.
Maybe we've just grown accustomed to the hyperbolic ravings of industry bigwigs, but that's also quite a shift in stance for such a major label. Of course, earlier this month, NBC Universal exec Jeff Zucker claimed Apple had essentially "destroyed the music business." Shortly thereafter, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner weighed in on the writers strike and encouraged Hollywood scribes to picket Cupertino instead of the studios.
Even Warner Music has historically railed against Apple. Among other disputes, the record label claimed that music pricing at Apple's iTunes Store was inherently unfair and repeatedly demanded that it be allowed to mark up newer songs at higher prices. Apple, in turn, said no way and argued that part of the appeal of iTunes is its simplicity and consistent pricing.
So what changed? Apparently Bronfman is beginning to realize that resisting customer demand for digital content has ultimately backfired for labels, and instead has only led to more "illegal" downloads which have in turn helped undermine CD and DVD sales. And with this new embrace of Apple's flavor of digital distribution, the company is also promising to offer even more bundles of music with ringtones, videos and other combinations via the store in the near future. Despite being a lone voice in the woods for now, maybe dumping on Apple isn't the new black after all.
[Via MacNN]
