iTunes Store help for a newly listed artist?

December 9, 2010 12:17 AM

Do artists listed in the iTunes Store get to adjust the prices of their own music? If so, how? I don't really know what to search for and my usual google-fu is leaving me empty-handed.

I googled this but I must not be using the right terms. I don't really see what I'm looking for on Apple's support site, either.

I put an album out through CD Baby and they distributed it to the iTunes Store. I specified on CD Baby that I wanted the digital album price to be $7.99 (with most tracks selling for $.79 a pop). I just saw the record listed on iTunes and it's $9.99 ($.99 per track). Can I fix this myself? Am I stuck? Is there someone specific I should talk to? It means a lot to me that I keep my prices low, especially at a time when people need serious incentive to buy music.

posted by mirepoix to media & arts (4 answers total)

I put an album out through CD Baby and they distributed it to the iTunes Store... Is there someone specific I should talk to?

Since CDBaby were the ones who submitted your music to iTunes, I'd ask CDBaby first.
posted by xil at 12:51 AM on December 9, 2010

A reliable source tells me that iTunes' standard album price is $9.99 across the board, and that corresponds with what I've seen as a customer. I'm pretty new to the world of digital music sales (as a recording artist) and I'm somewhat green when it comes to figuring out all the different pricing models.

That same reliable source believes iTunes takes an additional (hefty) percentage out of the sales price over and above what CD Baby takes. How bad is it? What percentage will I be left with?
posted by mirepoix at 1:33 AM on December 9, 2010

I believe Apple keep 35% of the income, and 65% goes to the label to redistribute. So if CDBaby keep 10%, it'll be 10% of the money returned.

So say you sell $10 worth of music. CDBaby gets given $6.50, and then keep 65 cents. So you'd end up with $5.85. Not too shabby.

You may be interested in this infographic of how hard it is for a musician to earn minimum wage through their music.
posted by Magnakai at 2:29 AM on December 9, 2010

Yeah, I've heard that it's nearly impossible to make money through streaming -- that's why I'm doing sales only. My financial goal right now is to recoup my costs -- I'm doing this all on my own. If there's anything left over for me, I'll be delighted.
posted by mirepoix at 2:57 AM on December 9, 2010