PBS’ Frontline interviewed David Crosby, a music legend known for his solo performances as well as his work with the Byrds, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. In it Crosby mentions how iTunes looks “really, really, really promising.”
“Why did that work? Because it was simple, and it was already existing hardware. And anybody could have done it, but Steve Jobs put it together. It works like a charm.
You upload it; they download it. They pay you a buck or two. It’s that simple.
You getting some hits from that? You bet.
And I’m going to get a lot more. No packaging cost, no promotion, no lairs of distributors, each taking 20 percent off as it goes by. No returns, no free goods, nada! [laughter] No costs! That’s a good business model that works, and it’s working for them. They’re a brilliant company, and that’s a brilliant idea.
