Apple launches celebration for a decade of iTunes

It’s been 10 years since Apple opened the virtual doors of the iTunes Music Store and changed the way we buy music, movies, TV shows, apps and books.

It was April 28, 2003 when the first iTunes Store went online in the US to give people and easy – and legal – way to download digital music.

At the time the store had just 200,000 songs in its library priced at 99 cents each.

By September 2003 – just five months after opening – the iTunes sold its 10 millionth song: Avril Lavigne’s Complicated.

The Australian iTunes Store wouldn’t open until October 2005 and the top selling song overall in that first year was Ben Lee’s Catch My Disease. 

The top selling album overall in Australia in the first year was Sarah Blasko, The Overture & The Underscore.

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services said: “When Apple introduced the iTunes Store on 28 April, 2003, we thought if consumers had a great, legal way to download music they would embrace it – did they ever.

“Apple was floored, as were the labels, when customers bought over one million songs during the first week.

“And now, 10 years later, we continue to be amazed by how much customers love the iTunes Store with more than 25 billion songs sold. 

“Apple loves music and strives to provide customers with the most innovative features and services on iTunes.

“We are all very proud of having such an incredible selection of legendary musicians on the iTunes Store and take great pride in exposing music fans to new and emerging artists.”

iTUNES STORE MILESTONES

28 April, 2003: Apple launched the iTunes Music Store with 200,000 songs at 99c each

September 2003: 10 millionth song downloaded on iTunes – “Complicated”, Avril Lavigne

October 2003: iTunes for Windows is released

March 2004: 50 millionth song downloaded on iTunes – “The Path of Thorns”, Sarah McLachlan

July 2004: 100 millionth song downloaded on iTunes – “Somersault (Dangermouse Remix)”, Zero 7

December 2004: iTunes downloads hit 200 million songs

July 2005: 500 millionth song downloaded on iTunes – “Mississippi Girl”, Faith Hill

October 2005: Australian iTunes Store opens

Top 5 songs in Australian iTunes Store:                      

Youth Group – Forever Young

Eskimo Joe – Black Fingernails, Red Wine

Gnarls Barkley – Crazy

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Californication

Justin Timberlake – Sexyback (Main Version) [Explicit]

Top 5 albums in Australian iTunes Store:       

Bernard Fanning – Tea & Sympathy

Wolfmother – Wolfmother

Madonna – Confessions on a Dance Floor

James Blunt – Back to Bedlam

Eskimo Joe – Black Fingernails Red Wine

February 2006: 1 billionth song downloaded on iTunes – “Speed of Sound”, Coldplay

December 2006: The iTunes Store debuts in New Zealand

January 2007: iTunes song downloads top 2 billion

July 2007: iTunes song downloads top 3 billion

July 2008: App Store debuts with 500 apps

January 2009: All music on iTunes is DRM-free

February 2010: 10 billionth song downloaded on iTunes- “Guess Things Happen That Way”, Johnny Cash

November 2010: The entire Beatles catalogue is available digitally for the first time – exclusively on iTunes

June 2012: The iTunes Store debuts in Singapore and nine additional countries in Asia

October 2012: AC/DCs catalogue is now available digitally for the first time – exclusively on iTunes

28 April 2013: The iTunes Store celebrates a decade of iTunes.

Related Stories

Apple defends iTunes and product pricing at parliamentary inquiry

25 billionth song downloaded from Apple’s iTunes Store

iTunes Best of 2012: the top music, movies, TV shows, apps and books of the year