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Record labels still plan around iTunes, and it’s not because anyone misses the iPod era. Over 80% of iTunes users don’t subscribe to Apple Music, which leaves a large audience outside Apple’s streaming base. If you’re in that group, labels see you as a straightforward buyer during a new album’s first week.
Release week is when sales totals shape headlines, chart positions, and perception. A paid download can spike those numbers quickly, without waiting for streams to accumulate, Bloomberg reports.
Apple also argues iTunes is not just for replaying old favorites. It says half of iTunes customers began buying songs in the last 10 years, and almost half of the top 10,000 best-selling albums each quarter are new releases. That’s why the store still shows up in marketing plans. People keep paying for current music there.
Why downloads still punch above weight
A digital album download counts as a full unit in Billboard’s accounting, while streaming requires a lot more volume to match it. It takes 1,000 premium audio or video streams to equal one album sale, or 2,500 ad-supported streams. One purchase can do the work of thousands of plays.
That conversion advantage also explains the return of digital exclusives and variants. There are iTunes-exclusive editions tied to big artists, and to multiple digital versions sold through artist stores. Those packages are built to make a download feel distinct enough to justify a buy now, not later.
The iTunes buyer behaves differently
Digital library listeners act differently than the average streamer. They are more likely to say an artist’s opinions matter to them, and they report higher rates of listening on day one and during release week. For an artist launch, that’s high-intent behavior.
Some buyers also have practical reasons to own files, such as creating music by sampling their purchases. Streaming catalogs don’t always cover every track, and streaming licenses can change. Owning a file avoids both issues.
A shrinking market forces precision
Downloads are still shrinking overall. The Recording Industry Association of America said US revenue from downloaded singles in the first half of 2025 slipped 0.3% year over year, while album downloads fell 14%. Total digital download revenue was $139 million in that period, compared with $4.7 billion from streaming.
So labels aren’t betting on a download revival. It’s more targeted, find the remaining buyers, then give them a clear reason to purchase during the launch window, whether that’s an exclusive edition, bonus video content, or a collectible set of digital variants. If you still use iTunes, watch the store around big releases. That’s when you’ll see the most effort aimed your way.
