iTunes kinda disappoints me on a couple levels.
First. I bought a $15 card, because that's how I budget and treat myself. I'm not sure what I was treating myself for this time. Anyway, I punched in the activation code, and I got a "this code is invalid" message. After a frustrated email to tech support, it turned out I was misreading the B's as 8's. Um, shouldn't there be a way to print these things more clearly so this problem doesn't happen as often?
Second. The "Just For You" thingy is a cool concept, but honestly, it was better in beta. Currently, it keeps recommending the same things over and over, doesn't remember what I've previously set as already owned or not liked, and is recommending songs I've already purchased from them. Why can I set "already own" or "don't like" labels for entire albums, but not for individual songs?
Third. I wanted some Moulin Rouge songs. I can only get them if I buy the whole album. I don't want the whole fucking album. Wasn't part of the point of iTunes (and other online music stores) to allow people to legally obtain copies of single songs without having to purchase the entire album? And if it's the record company disallowing single song sales, not the store, then the store should put a note on the sales page that states this. That way, everyone's frustrated comments can be shifted to the correct outlet, and maybe dumb people will stop giving the album poor ratings simply because they only wanted to buy one song. (Or at least not in such vast quantities.)
Fourth. Listen to a song in its entirety before putting it in one of those iTunes Essentials playlists. For example, Death Cab For Cutie's song I Will Follow You Into the Dark, while aww-inducing, is about the death of a loved one, even if it is pondering a death way off in the future. And Rufus Wainwright's The Tower of Learning does include the aww line "I saw it in your eyes, what I was looking for," but later it also says "with one glance you smashed it with your eyes ... one blink and then my heart wasn't there no more." These are good examples of songs that should NOT be included in a playlist of indie-rock wedding songs.
I'm not completely frustrated with iTunes, though. I still love how I can buy [most] songs individually, and the new option to complete an album you've already purchased part of is awesome (I'll definitely be taking advantage of it). iTunes Essentials are overall a great way to discover new music. And the aforementioned Indie Wedding playlist included a Queen cover of the Wedding March, which was fucking awesome.
[end rant]
2 comments:
first: Indie Wedding playlist? is there something i should know?
second: I think the DCfC song would still work for a wedding.
first: I was browsing, and I hadn't seen that list before. That's all.
second: It could still work, but it mentions death so much that on the surface it sounds really depressing. Especially if you don't listen to all the words. There are a lot of stupid people who don't do that these days. :)
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