Apple to increase price of hot tracks to $1.29

iTunes, the world’s largest music store, plans to increase the price of many hit singles and selected classic tracks to $1.29 on April 7.  Although the price has not been publically announced, Apple has been notifying record labels of the change and the date it will go into effect.  This is all part of the profit-increasing plan Apple announced early this year, where some songs will see their price lowered.  "Variable-pricing" is an attempt by the music industry to increase the revenue derived from digital downloads, hoping to offset the decline in CD sales.  Record company executives would like consumers to believe that the new pricing will allow them to offer packaged downloads of songs that might entice you to spend more money on music. 

Joe Music thinks the timing sucks.  Which is why I use a Zune with the all-you-can-eat subscription.  You can read the entire LA Times store here