As an older user of iTunes I sometimes come across an issue that fans of current music seldom do. Namely popular bands not having all their music, or their most popular available. Now you could blame Apple, but I prefer to blame the labels because ultimately that's where the problem lies.
The first time I came across this was while looking for Aerosmith songs on iTunes. The band started in the 70's & their best known song is probably "Walk This Way", a song that they recorded twice. The second version was their comeback which they recorded with rappers Run DMC. That's the only version available on iTunes. Plus a live version from a 90's CD.
Then today I came across the same issue with The Kinks. A band best known for their 60's songs (plus 70's hit Lola a song about a guy who somehow doesn't know he's dating a transvestite). They were part of the original "British Invasion" with The Beatles, Rolling Stones & Dave Clark Five. Their first hit "You Really Got Me" may be the first hard rock song. It's not on iTunes, nor are any of their original 60's albums.
Why is this? I suspect it's an issue with both these bands contracts with their original labels. You see this with several acts on iTunes. Mostly acts that changed labels several times. It becomes an issue getting the rights to the recordings if there is a problem. Maybe a legal thing about payments or negotiations over copyright or ownership of those recordings. Both acts I mentioned were on multiple labels, while The Beatles spent their entire career on EMI, & while the Stones did change from Decca(London records here) to their own label, they controlled rights which kept problems down.
It's fairly obvious that Apple has been unable to make a deal with Columbia over the early Aerosmith stuff, it's also clear that either Apple or the Kinks have been unable to make a deal over rights from Reprise. This may always be a problem, especially with acts that last a long time, but it is a problem for we music fans who simply want to hear the songs.
The first time I came across this was while looking for Aerosmith songs on iTunes. The band started in the 70's & their best known song is probably "Walk This Way", a song that they recorded twice. The second version was their comeback which they recorded with rappers Run DMC. That's the only version available on iTunes. Plus a live version from a 90's CD.
Then today I came across the same issue with The Kinks. A band best known for their 60's songs (plus 70's hit Lola a song about a guy who somehow doesn't know he's dating a transvestite). They were part of the original "British Invasion" with The Beatles, Rolling Stones & Dave Clark Five. Their first hit "You Really Got Me" may be the first hard rock song. It's not on iTunes, nor are any of their original 60's albums.
Why is this? I suspect it's an issue with both these bands contracts with their original labels. You see this with several acts on iTunes. Mostly acts that changed labels several times. It becomes an issue getting the rights to the recordings if there is a problem. Maybe a legal thing about payments or negotiations over copyright or ownership of those recordings. Both acts I mentioned were on multiple labels, while The Beatles spent their entire career on EMI, & while the Stones did change from Decca(London records here) to their own label, they controlled rights which kept problems down.
It's fairly obvious that Apple has been unable to make a deal with Columbia over the early Aerosmith stuff, it's also clear that either Apple or the Kinks have been unable to make a deal over rights from Reprise. This may always be a problem, especially with acts that last a long time, but it is a problem for we music fans who simply want to hear the songs.
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