iTunes Store downloads—once music industry’s digital savior—died quietly as Apple sunsetted iTunes (June 2019), replacing it with separate Music, Podcasts, and TV apps. The store that sold 35 billion songs (2003-2019) and saved music from Napster piracy became obsolete, killed by streaming subscriptions Apple itself championed via Apple Music (2015).
The iTunes Era (2003-2013)
iTunes revolutionized music: $0.99 per song, album unbundling, iPod integration, DRM (2003-2009). It sold 1 billion songs by 2006, 25 billion by 2013. Artists hated fragmented albums, but consumers loved à la carte purchasing. iTunes dominated 70%+ of legal digital downloads, generating $4B+ annually at peak.
The Streaming Pivot
Apple Music (June 2015) cannibalized iTunes downloads. Why pay $10-15 per album when $10/month accessed 100M songs? Downloads collapsed: 1.2 billion units (2012) to 450 million (2018) to <100 million (2020). By 2019, Apple discontinued iTunes, acknowledging streaming won.
The Ownership Debate
iTunes promised music ownership—“buy once, own forever.” But DRM, server shutdowns, and licensing disputes meant “purchases” were revocable licenses. Streaming made ownership obsolete—Gen Z/Millennials preferred access over ownership. iTunes’ death symbolized cultural shift: music as subscription utility, not possession.
Sources: Apple press releases (iTunes/Apple Music statistics), Billboard digital music tracking, NPD Group download sales data