If you’ve grown up in gaming, you already understand the difference between renting access and owning content. Subscriptions are convenient, but ownership feels permanent. That same logic is why record labels still care about iTunes, even as streaming dominates everyday music listening. Recent reports show that iTunes remains a strategic tool, not a relic—and gamers are a surprisingly good audience to understand why.

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One of the most telling stats is that over 80% of iTunes users don’t subscribe to Apple Music. That means the vast majority of people still buying downloads on iTunes live outside Apple’s streaming funnel. From a label’s perspective, that’s a clean, high-intent audience. These users aren’t casually letting playlists autoplay; they’re making deliberate purchase decisions, especially around release week.

Release week matters more than many casual listeners realize. That’s when album sales shape headlines, chart positions, and industry narratives. A paid iTunes download counts immediately and decisively. Unlike streaming, which needs time and volume to accumulate impact, one purchase can move the needle right away. For labels trying to generate early momentum, that immediacy is powerful.

The math explains the continued focus. A single digital album sale counts as one full unit on the charts, while streaming requires scale—1,000 premium streams or 2,500 ad-supported streams just to match one album purchase. For gamers, this is similar to the difference between a preorder and a long-tail sale months later. Early buys carry disproportionate weight.

Apple also challenges the idea that iTunes buyers are stuck reliving their youth. According to the update, half of iTunes customers began purchasing music within the last ten years, after Apple Music launched. Even more striking, nearly half of the top 10,000 best-selling albums each quarter on iTunes are new releases. That means labels aren’t just monetizing nostalgia; they’re selling current music to an active, engaged audience.

This is why digital exclusives have returned. iTunes-only editions, bonus tracks, and alternate versions give buyers a reason to act now instead of waiting. Gamers see this all the time with deluxe editions and early-access perks. When content feels special or time-sensitive, people are more willing to pay upfront.

iTunes buyers also behave differently from streamers. They’re more likely to listen on day one, more engaged during release week, and more invested in the artist’s identity and message. Some also want files for practical reasons, like sampling music for creative projects. Streaming libraries change, licenses expire, and tracks vanish—ownership avoids those risks entirely.

Yes, the overall download market is shrinking. Industry data shows declining revenue from digital downloads compared to massive streaming growth. But that doesn’t mean downloads are irrelevant. It means labels are being precise: identify the remaining buyers and give them a clear reason to purchase during launch windows.

For gamers managing multiple digital ecosystems, prepaid flexibility still matters. Using an Apple iTunes Gift Card fits naturally alongside console store credits, offering a simple way to buy music or soundtracks without adding another monthly subscription.

In short, record labels still care about iTunes because it delivers what streaming can’t: fast impact, ownership, and focused buyers. For gamers who value launch-day moments and permanent libraries, that strategy makes perfect sense.

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