How does iTunes use aggregated search statistics

[pikolo77]

I listen to a lot of imported music through digital radio stations on iTunes. I regularly look in their Music Store for the songs that I hear. Much to my chagrin, I often find the iTunes store lacking the content I want from imported sources.

So, how does iTunes use the aggregated searches of all its members and radio playlists to influence content offerings? I would hope that 100-1000 searches for the same song would prompt them to start looking for it themselves.

[iamthewalrus(:3=]

Originally Posted by pikolo77

I would hope that 100-1000 searches for the same song would prompt them to start looking for it themselves.

I'm sure they do factor failed searches into future plans... to some extent.

Clearly, 100-1000 searches is not nearly enough. I don't know what the search:purchase ratio is, but I'd bet good money that it's < 0.1. So 1000 searches will probably equate to about 100 purchases. Out of which Apple makes, what, $5?

Added to that is the fact that Apple pretty much has all of the big music publishers on board, so it's really only waiting for the little guys. I'd guess that it's just not cost effective to try to recruit smaller bands, especially since most smaller bands and labels should be falling all over themselves to get their music onto iTunes. If there's a song that you want that's not on iTunes, I'd guess that it's the band/label that has decided not to allow Apple to sell it, not that Apple hasn't bothered to add it yet.

[pikolo77]

I was thinking iTunes could do something simple like carry the playlists from the imported radio stations it hosts. Many of the smaller foreign artists are very difficult to find through ANY means, not just iTunes. If I was a struggling artist (and not a struggling engineer), I'd beg, borrow and steal to get a free track featured on iTunes. Take a look at what the free iTune of the day has done for some smaller artists like Si*Se.