Apple celebrates 150 million iTunes downloads

Music fans have bought and downloaded more than 150 million songs from the iTunes Music Store, Apple has revealed.

The company said that iTunes users are now downloading more than four million songs a week, a rate of over 200 million songs a year.

"Crossing 150 million downloads marks another major milestone for the online music business," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of applications, in a statement.

"We are looking forward to bringing iTunes to even more music lovers when we launch our pan-European Union music store soon."

Apple said that the 150 millionth song to be downloaded was Ex-Factor by Lauryn Hill, and was purchased by Beth Santisteven from Ignacio, Colorado.

ITunes is continuing to dominate the online music market in the face of increasing competition.

According to research from the NPD Group, some 70 per cent of music files downloaded legally between December 2003 and July 2004 were from iTunes.

And earlier this week Apple revealed that it shipped over two million iPods during its past financial quarter.

See also:

Napster attacks iTunes strategy

Is music bought or rented?  03 Feb 2005

Apple in court over UK iTunes pricing

Jobs for the lawyers  03 Dec 2004

Apple peels wraps off fastest ever iBook G4

Latest 1.33GHz laptop offers 802.11g wireless networking and DVD burning  20 Oct 2004

Napster launches pre-pay service

Available to non-credit and debit card holders  14 Oct 2004

Apple ships two million iPods in fourth quarter

Company reports highest Q4 revenue in nine years  14 Oct 2004

Apple's iTunes still dominates online music

Service enjoys 70 per cent share, despite strong competition  14 Oct 2004

BPI starts legal action against UK P2P uploaders

UK trade body to seek damages and injunctions against 28 'major file sharers'  07 Oct 2004

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