Rock'n'Roll Showdown: Marketplace vs iTunes Store

[Zunerama Ed.]

From the Zunerama blog:

How does Marketplace stand up against iTunes Store, in the world of Rock'n'Roll..?

Very well, it turns out.



Despite the prevalent notion in the blogosphere that Marketplace music content pales in comparison to Apple's long-established iTunes Store, my own experience is that I've rarely come up short when searching for music in Marketplace. I decided to test this for the Rock'n'Roll genre.

So I recruited some volunteers from Zunerama's forums and, using Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, we researched and recorded the availability of every one of them, in Zune Marketplace and in iTunes Store.

For each song, we checked whether or not the song appeared in the store's catalog, and confirmed whether or not the song was available for download.

To be consistent, we set some rules for what counted as an "available song":
1. Some songs are not available in either store for individual purchase, but can be purchased as part of an album; we give those songs full credit as being available.
2. In a couple of cases, we found that songs are available only in live versions and not the original studio release; we give those songs full credit.
3. To get credit, the song must be available with the specific artist named in the Rolling Stone list; covers of the same material by other artists or tribute bands don't count.
4. In cases where the original album was not available, we still give credit if the song is available in a compilation album - as long as the compilation album has that particular artist performing that particular song. So, an appearance in a "Best of" album would count, even if the original album was not available.

We treated iTunes Store and Marketplace consistently when these anomalies came up.

And the results: out of Rock'n'Roll's 500 greatest songs, Marketplace has 458 songs available for download. iTunes Store has 453 songs available for download. Surprise! A slight edge to Marketplace.

But stay tuned!! These figures will change over time, as both iTunes Store and Marketplace expand their content. Indeed, if rumors prove true, in a few days iTunes Store's results in our study could surge by no less than 23 songs, if they actually make all Beatles songs available through ITunes Store. That would be a nice coup for Apple, and one - as a Beatles fan - that I would applaud.

Thanks to our Zunerama members for their help with the research: supernova, Hollikins1101, glowbee, blazingwolf, Sw0rdf1sh, tmgux, rshives, inflamesfan018, ryango119, and stryker.

[H Rod]

Now if only the Zune Marketplace added a video section.

[GK86]

Nice read.  So does MS add music every week? 

[zuneamama]

Great article!  How long did you guys spend on this test?

[AK Water]

You should be able to put the videos from Xbox Live Marketplace onto your Zune.  There are lots of TV shows, movies, trailers, game trailers, many in HD, on Live Marketplace.

[GK86]

You should be able to put the videos from Xbox Live Marketplace onto your Zune.  There are lots of TV shows, movies, trailers, game trailers, many in HD, on Live Marketplace.

I agree.  Although I don't think that will happen anytime soon MS should at least put Zune ready trailers up on the MP(360).

[Zunerama Ed.]

Great article!  How long did you guys spend on this test?

Well, we kicked it off a few weeks ago, but divided up the work so that each of us just had about 50 songs to look up on both iTunes and Marketplace.

[Nardes]

very nice... the only bad thing is, iTunes carries many eps (mainly live) from many of my faav indie bands that are exclusive to iTunes and they also have many things made for them but very nice study


Kudos! 

[glowbee]

Yeehah! Glad all that research payed off with a positive result. Yet another Zune myth dismissed.....

[xxxoom]

if apple/ipod gets exclussive rights to the beatles, that would be a really big coup.

[Zunerama Ed.]

if apple/ipod gets exclussive rights to the beatles, that would be a really big coup.

It would, but I don't think they'll get exclusive rights. Evidently Michael Jackson's company (I think he controls access to Beatles music) hasn't felt that he's needed iTunes to sell a lot of Beatles music... so I don't think he'd get pressured into an exclusive with iTunes. Maybe for a while, but I bet Marketplace won't be far behind.

Interestingly, Marketplace had John Lennon's Imagine and George Harrison's My Sweet Lord... neither of which is available by the original artists in iTunes.

[Trastan]

Amazing. Go Marketplace, and kudos to Microsoft. I just keep getting happier and happier with my Zune.

[xxxoom]

if apple/ipod gets exclussive rights to the beatles, that would be a really big coup.

It would, but I don't think they'll get exclusive rights. Evidently Michael Jackson's company (I think he controls access to Beatles music) hasn't felt that he's needed iTunes to sell a lot of Beatles music... so I don't think he'd get pressured into an exclusive with iTunes. Maybe for a while, but I bet Marketplace won't be far behind.

Interestingly, Marketplace had John Lennon's Imagine and George Harrison's My Sweet Lord... neither of which is available by the original artists in iTunes.

does MJ still own the Beatles catalogue? i wasn't sure.

still, with all of his legal/financial problems, he might be tempted (by Apple) to license the Beatles songs. we'll see.

[sjgmoney]

Michael Jackson does NOT control the Beatles catalog, Apple Corp. does (not to be confused with Apple Computer).  He owns the publishing rights to many of their songs and gets royalties based on radio play, sheet music sales, cover versions etc.  Thhe royalty pie for all these is split up a couple of different ways and the owner of publishing rights gets a good cut. 

MJ has no say in the sale of their music.

[Zunerama Ed.]

Michael Jackson does NOT control the Beatles catalog, Apple Corp. does (not to be confused with Apple Computer).  He owns the publishing rights to many of their songs and gets royalties based on radio play, sheet music sales, cover versions etc.  Thhe royalty pie for all these is split up a couple of different ways and the owner of publishing rights gets a good cut. 

MJ has no say in the sale of their music.

Ahhh, thanks for that clarification.