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April 28, 2008

itunes_store

The annual Dan + iTunes birthday bash

Posted Apr. 28, ’08, 8:14 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | iTunes » iTunes Store

iTunes turns 5Last night I was made to endure a terrifying experience, the pain of which still lingers fresh in my brain. My life flashed before my eyes, shot in fuzzy, grainy VHS splendor. On the eve of my birthday, my mother produced a videocassette containing recordings of my fifth, sixth, and seventh birthdays. It was actually the first time I’ve ever seen a video of myself as a child, and let me tell you, it was frightening: the bowl cut hair, the red grade-school sweatshirt, the sheer ’80s-ness of it all. Add to that the slightly surreal soundtrack provided by an anti-smoking documentary that was not fully erased when my parents taped over it—oh, 1980s technology, how you amuse.

So I know how iTunes feels. Here it is, turning five years old, and no doubt Apple is recording every moment, hovering alongside with some digital video camera, making sure that no embarrassing moment is forgotten. The celebrations are already underway in the store itself, where Apple has put up a special section featuring hit music and videos from the last five years. Oh, look, 2003! Jack Johnson and OutKast. Those were the days.

iTunes, of course, has come a long way since 2003, rising from its position as an upstart in the industry to the number one retailer in the country. They started with a selection of a mere 200,000 tracks and have today worked their way up to more than 10 million, selling more than four billion songs along the way.

Which, you’d better believe my mother points out reproachfully when she asks about how work is going. Anyway, happy birthday, iTunes—I’m glad that we can share this special day together every year. Cake?


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