Can you buy music in Apple Store?

Can You Buy Music in the Apple Store?

You sure can buy music in the Apple Store, both digitally and physically. The Apple Store, both online and in retail locations, offers a wide selection of music you can purchase and download or buy on physical formats like CDs and vinyl records.

Buying Digital Music

The Apple Store has one of the largest digital music catalogs available, with over 75 million songs to browse and buy. You can buy individual songs, albums, compilations, and more. Here are some of the key things to know about buying digital music from the Apple Store:

Huge Catalog: You get access to an extensive music library spanning all genres from the hottest new hits to classic tunes.

iTunes: The primary way to buy digital music is through the iTunes Store, which is integrated right into the Apple Music app.
Individual Downloads: You can buy any individual song or album to download to your device and keep forever, DRM-free.
Exclusive Releases: The Store often has exclusive early releases and special versions you can only get there.

Digital Booklets: Many albums come with digital booklets featuring artwork, lyrics, credits, and more.
Automatic Downloads: Any music you buy gets automatically downloaded to all your registered devices.

Here are some of the pricing options for digital music:

Song	$0.69 to $1.29 typically
Album	$7.99 to $11.99 typically
Season Pass for TV show	$19.99 to $24.99 typically

As you can see, individual songs are usually under $1.30, albums under $12, and TV seasons under $25. There are always deals and discounts too, so you can often get music cheaper.

Buying Physical Music

In addition to digital music, you can also buy physical CDs, vinyl records, and more from the Apple Store. Here are some things to know:

CDs: A wide selection of popular new releases and classic CDs to purchase.

Vinyl: LPs have made a comeback and the Store carries many titles on vinyl.
Box Sets: Get multi-disc special edition box sets of albums with bonus content.
Cassettes: Compact cassettes have returned as a retro format and are sold too.

In-Store Pickup: Order online and pickup CDs/vinyl at your local Apple Store.
Ships to Home: Physical music can also ship directly to your house.

Pricing on physical music tends to match typical retail costs:

CD	$9.99 to $24.99 typically
Vinyl LP	$19.99 to $34.99 typically
Cassette	$6.99 to $12.99 typically

So in summary, yes, you can absolutely purchase both digital and physical music from Apple’s platforms. It offers an unparalleled catalog at typical market prices.

Overview of Music Available on the Apple Store

Now that we’ve established you can indeed buy music on the Apple Store, let’s take a deeper look at exactly what music is available there. This will give you an idea of the vast selection at your fingertips.

Digital Music

The Apple Store’s digital music selection includes:

Songs – Single songs from albums old and new.
Albums – The latest album releases plus chart-topping oldies.
Compilations – Special themed albums with tracks grouped around a genre, event, or artist.

Exclusive Releases – Albums and songs you can only get early or exclusively in the Apple Store.
Mastered for iTunes – Songs optimized for the highest possible sound quality.
Remasters – Classic albums remastered to achieve superior sound compared to original releases.

Box Sets – Special box set editions of albums with bonus tracks and content.
TV Show Music – Soundtrack music and theme songs from popular television series.
Movie Soundtracks – Blockbuster film scores and companion soundtrack albums.

Music in the Apple Store covers every possible genre, including:

Pop	Rock	Hip Hop & Rap
Country	R&B	Dance & Electronic
Indie	Metal	Jazz
Blues	Folk	Reggae
Classical	Holiday	Audiobooks

This covers all the most popular genres along with niche interests too. You’ll find music from both major label and independent artists.

Physical Music

Physically, you can buy these music formats in the Apple Store:

CDs – The most popular physical music format, now with digital downloads often included for free.
Vinyl – LP records have made a big comeback with music fans who love the warm vintage sound.
Cassette Tapes – Compact cassettes are seeing renewed interest as well thanks to nostalgia.

Box Sets – Special edition box sets with an album on multiple CDs or LPs plus extras.
Record Players – Vintage-inspired record players to listen to LPs on are sold too.

You’ll find all the latest popular music along with classic albums reissued on CD, vinyl, and cassette tape. The selection focuses on the most sought-after titles tailored for each format based on demand. For instance, rock, alternative, and metal albums tend to see more vinyl releases, while pop sees more cassette tape reissues.

How to Buy Music on Apple

Buying music on Apple platforms is really straightforward. Here are guides to doing it through the Apple Store online and on iOS devices via the App Store:

Online Apple Store

To buy music on the Apple Store website:

Go to www.apple.com/itunes.

Click the Music tab to browse songs, albums, exclusives, and more.
Or use the search bar to find something specific.
When you find a song, album, or compilation to buy, click the Price button.

If you’re signed into your Apple account, pick a payment method and confirm purchase.
Or check out as a guest and provide payment details during checkout.
The items will automatically download to your registered devices and appear in your iTunes library.

For physical items like CDs and vinyl:

Add to your cart on the product page.
Checkout and select delivery or in-store pickup.

Pick up at your Apple Store location or wait for home delivery.
You’ll often get free digital downloads too.

App Store on iPhone, iPad, etc

To buy music through the App Store iOS/iPadOS:

Open the App Store app.
Tap the Music tab at bottom to browse.
Or tap Search to lookup a specific song, album, playlist, etc.

Tap the Price button to purchase the music.
Enter your Apple ID password or scan your face/fingerprint to authorize purchase.
Your music will immediately start downloading and be accessible in the Music app.

You can also ask Siri to search for and buy music hands-free.

Apple Music Subscription vs. Purchasing Music

Beyond buying individual music tracks and albums, Apple also offers a subscription service called Apple Music. This grants you access to over 100 million songs for $9.99/month. So is it better to subscribe or just purchase your favorite music? There are pros and cons to each approach:

Buying Music

Pros:

Own the music forever regardless of subscription.
Listen offline whenever you want.
Higher audio quality than streaming.

Support artists through purchases.

Cons:

Must pay per each song or album.

Not as extensive of a music catalog.
No personalized recommendations.

Apple Music Subscription

Pros:

Unlimited access to full Apple catalog.
Constant new recommendations.
Syncs across all your devices.

Online/offline listening.

Cons:

Monthly subscription fee.

If you cancel, lose access to music.
More limited selection of exclusives.

So in summary, purchasing music is best if you know exactly what songs or albums you want to listen to on repeat and want to own forever DRM-free. Apple Music is better for casual listening, discovering new artists, and having your own personalized radio station. Many fans choose to do both – buying select music to own while also subscribing to Apple Music.

History of Music on Apple Platforms

Music has been a core part of Apple’s DNA since the early days of iTunes and the iPod. Here’s a quick history:

Early Days of iTunes Music Store

In 2001, Apple unveiled iTunes as a simple way to rip, organize, and burn your digital music library. Then in 2003 they launched the iTunes Music Store allowing you to purchase songs and albums. It quickly became the top music retailer in the US.

iPod Explosion

The iPod was introduced in 2001 as well, letting you bring your whole music library in your pocket. It ushered in the era of listening to digital music on portable devices. Supported by iTunes and the Music Store, iPods conquered the world.

Growth of the Catalog

Over the years Apple rapidly expanded both digital and physical music available as they partnered with more record labels, musicians, and catalogs. Genres like classical, jazz, metal, and international music grew.

The Streaming Era

While music downloads were still growing, Apple saw the rise of music streaming services. In 2015 they launched Apple Music subscriptions, now with over 100 million songs available on demand. However music purchases remained popular still.

Lossless Audio

In 2021, Apple announced they were bringing lossless audio quality to their digital music catalog. This let audiophiles stream and download songs in the highest fidelity possible, better than CD quality. Purchased music could be downloaded lossless as well.

So in summary, Apple has led the way in music tech and delivery for 20 years now. They have the unmatched ability to partner with anyone in music to deliver the best experience listening to and building your library.

The Future of Music on Apple

What does the future hold for buying and listening to music on Apple platforms? Here are some likely developments:

More Exclusive Releases – Apple will continue partnering with top artists for special early releases.

Enhanced Digital Extras – Digital albums and songs will come with even more special content like audio commentary, artwork, videos, lyrics, etc.
Livestream Shopping for Music – Apple retail locations and online store will have live concert streams where viewers can instantly buy new music.
More Physical Products – As vinyl and cassettes grow again, the Apple Store will expand inventory and exclusives.

Hi-Res Audio – Music quality will keep improving, with more songs in Hi-Res Lossless, Dolby Atmos, and 360 Spatial Audio.
Unified with Apple Music – Purchased and subscription music will appear together in your library for a seamless experience.

The Apple Store will remain the premier destination for getting all the latest and greatest music, whether buying downloads, physical media, or streaming via Apple Music. Music is part of Apple’s identity so they will continue pushing the technology forward.

Conclusion

So can you buy music on the Apple Store? Absolutely! The Apple Store, both online and in their retail locations, offers one of the best selections of music available for purchase. You can buy individual songs, albums, compilations and more in digital download format, as well as physical media like CDs and vinyl records. Their catalog spans every imaginable genre.

Pricing is very reasonable and in line with competing services. Downloaded music purchases let you own the files permanently to play offline however you wish. Apple Music streaming can complement your library with unlimited access to new releases.

The Apple Store has been selling and supporting music since the early days of iTunes. They remain dedicated to offering customers the best possible musical selection, curation, exclusives, audio formats, and listening experiences. Music will only continue to get better into the future as Apple leverages new technologies and delivery platforms. So explore the Apple Store online or visit a local retail location to expand your music library today.