Albums Sold As Apps Bypass iTunes

The Presidents of the United States have released all their albums on the iPhone, not via iTunes, but through the iPhone Apps store. The app, called ‘The Presidents’ Music — PUSA,’ sells for $2.99 on the App Store offers users access to four full albums, including the band’s early “lost” recordings.

The app’s description says it includes the song FroggyStyle which, “unless you have one of the 500 cassettes the band sold in 1994, you’ve never heard before.” The app also has extras and exclusives that the band will update regularly, and fans can read the band’s blog directly from the app on their iPhones or iPod touches.

Unlike NIN, there is a catch. The music isn’t actually contained within the application itself; instead, it is streamed to the app from a server, meaning you have to be connected to the Internet to listen to the songs. Not only does that seem finicky, but it also sounds a little like copyright protection.

Having access to updated information through a little application sounds pretty useful, but being unable to put the songs onto an mp3 player spoils the concept. Still, it’s a new way for us to get in touch with our favorite bands, and we can hope others will take similar steps.

Photo via blog.mlive.com
Source: Wired