Midnight Release Party At iTMS

July 9, 2007 8:21 PM

What time are albums actually released on iTunes? The new Spoon comes out tomorrow, and I want to get it the second it's available. Is there a set time, like 12:01 am PST? Or does it just show up whenever they happen to update the store? (Yes, I realize there are, ahem, other ways to get the album, but call me old-fashioned.)
posted by Ian A.T. to Media & Arts (10 answers total)

I think sometimes stuff comes out before midnight. I seem to recall that I went to a concert the night before a band's EP came out, and by the time I got home around 11 p.m. ET, it was available on iTunes.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:26 PM on July 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

For what it's worth, you can listen to it right now:
On Rhapsody, legally.

At least to plow through it. Then listen to it on iTunes once it becomes available there.
posted by disillusioned at 8:49 PM on July 9, 2007

I would say 11:38 eastern, because I just got the Smashing Pumpkins new album at that time... maybe a fluke.
posted by sindas at 9:22 PM on July 9, 2007

12:27 am.

or just check before you go to bed (or get it the next morning).
posted by special-k at 10:26 PM on July 9, 2007

12:30AM Central -
New Smashing Pumpkins NOT available
New Down to Earth Approach available

So who knows.
posted by puritycontrol at 10:32 PM on July 9, 2007

sindas - did you pre-order zeitgeist?
posted by puritycontrol at 10:57 PM on July 9, 2007

FWIW It's online now as of 4:07AM PDT.
posted by mge at 4:07 AM on July 10, 2007

Best answer: Supposed to happen at midnight, but it takes hours and hours for all the new music to propagate out to their server farms. Also, when there are new features released (i.e. iTunes Plus) it can take longer.

The gist is: when you see new stuff on the home page, chances are the new albums are live. Until then, keep searching :)
posted by softlord at 5:36 AM on July 10, 2007

There is no Spoon.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:54 AM on July 10, 2007

Best answer: FWIW, the album is also available on emusic. How sweet is that!
posted by special-k at 12:02 PM on July 10, 2007