On Sept. 12, just a few months shy of the one-year anniversary that launched the digital career of one of the world’s most beloved and popular bands of the past 50 years (better known as the Beatles), classic rock superstar Bob Seger inked a digital music deal with iTunes and Amazon.com. The artist, along with his Silver Bullet Band, will release two albums, “’Live’ Bullet,” and “Nine Tonight” before slowly eking out other tracks, albums and a few rarities from his many decades in the business. A longtime holdout on the Apple company, Seger leaves an increasingly dwindling number of artists who still refuse to sell their tracks digitally. But with new artists jumping onto the electronic bandwagon each year, only time will tell how long these bands can put it off.
AC/DC
They’re dirty, they’re mean and they’re mighty unclean, but do these hardcore rockers belong on iTunes? Apparently not. In 2008, growling frontman Brian Johnson was quoted as calling the mega music dealer a “monster” and the band has shown little sign of changing ground. Preferring to present their masterpiece albums in their entirety instead of in the bits and pieces most fans would personally select, AC/DC has staunchly denied any requests to sell their tracks online, often saying that Apple was simply “loving for the money.”
Tool
Let’s straighten one thing out: Tool is not trying to be, well, a tool, to their fans. Following along the same trail hacked out by AC/DC, the band simply refuses to sell their material in single version, although you will find numerous other bands willing to do it for them. Even though frontman Maynard Keenan has allowed side-project work like Puscifer and A Perfect Circle to be distributed through iTunes, Tool’s epic albums include art that is quintessential to the piece as a whole, and it will be a long time before the band drops any new music digitally.
Kid Rock
Quit searching because you’re not going to find Kid Rock on iTunes, at least not any of his new material. After releasing only his first album, 1990’s “Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast,” for digital sale, the country rapper has refused to “Bawitdaba” with iTunes on any of his latest music. Saying that he doesn’t believe all music to have the same “worth,” Kid Rock has kept all major label albums strictly for sale in hard copy, netting him a reported $3 million more for dangling 2010’s “Born Free” out of iTunes reach. He does own stock in the company, but apparently Kid Rock wants to keep his music separate.
Garth Brooks
We can all openly admit we were confused when the country crooner unveiled the mythical “Chris Gaines,” his new, dark alter ego (complete with emotionally sideswept bangs) to the music world. What may be more confusing is why Brooks has yet to foray into the digital music realm, claiming that iTunes will eventually “kill” the industry. Okay, so maybe it’s not so confusing. An iTunes search will only turn up a few karaoke sing-a-longs as well as a “tribute” band entitled Brooks Stars Garth. Right. Disputes over pricing and album-only sales have led the powerhouse solo star to keep his cookies out of the iTunes jar, and so far, Brooks is still doing just fine.