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The iTunes Store is still open, and recent reporting describes artists using it again for exclusive releases aimed at superfans. That is a promotional revival, not evidence that paid downloads have overtaken streaming. One date also needs correcting: Apple says the iTunes Music Store launched on April 28, 2003, making it about 23 years old in 2026—not 27.
Is the iTunes Store really making a comeback?
In a limited sense: artists are reportedly turning to iTunes-only releases as collectible extras and promotional tools. The Store itself did not disappear. What changed was the software around it, and the comeback described in 2026 coverage is a new use of a longstanding storefront—not a confirmed reversal of the shift to streaming.
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A 9to5Mac report quoting the Financial Times describes artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Doja Cat, Summer Walker and Tinashe as associated with recent exclusives. The report cites Ariana Grande’s live version of Petal as a surprise iTunes-only release and says Charli XCX made B-side songs to Music, Fashion, Film exclusive. It frames these releases as ways to offer superfans collectible editions, reach audiences and potentially support chart positioning.
Those are reported strategies, not guaranteed results. The same account says Grande’s album moved from No. 15 to No. 6 in “the charts,” but the available excerpt does not identify the chart or period. Nor does it establish that iTunes purchases caused the movement. The examples show that artists are using the Store; they do not prove a broad return to paid downloads or a reliable chart-boosting formula. Read the 9to5Mac report.
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Why does the headline say 27 years?
Apple dates the launch of the iTunes Music Store to April 28, 2003. That makes the Store about 23 years old in 2026. The “27 years” wording may refer to an earlier iTunes milestone, but the available sources do not establish what the headline intended, so it should not be treated as the Store’s launch age.
At the 2003 launch, Apple CEO Steve Jobs described the service’s premise this way: “Consumers don’t want to be treated like criminals and artists don’t want their valuable work stolen.” That statement belongs to the original Store’s context: a legal purchase model for digital music. It is not a comment on today’s exclusives. Apple’s launch announcement.
What does “iTunes” mean on a Mac, Windows PC or iPhone now?
The Store remains available, but the old all-purpose Mac iTunes app has been split into separate apps. Apple directs Mac users to Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts and Apple Books for media functions; Windows users can still download iTunes, and iPhone and iPad users can visit the iTunes Store to buy and download media.
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On a Mac, Apple says purchases, rentals and imported media can remain accessible as users move to the newer apps. Existing libraries are transferred to Music, TV and Podcasts. On iOS, the iTunes Store is a place to buy and download songs, TV shows, movies and podcasts. The exact features can vary by device and region. Apple’s current iTunes information.
Is buying music different from streaming it?
Yes. A Store purchase is a payment for an individual item; a streaming subscription provides access to a service catalog while the subscription and the relevant availability continue. Buying suits listeners who want to own a particular release in a personal library. Streaming is generally better suited to browsing a broad catalog and discovering music without buying each album or track.
Apple says digital media purchased from it can be permanently downloaded to an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Windows PC and played offline. There is an important caveat: if Apple loses distribution rights, an item may become unavailable for redownload through Apple Media Services. Apple says a purchase already downloaded can be used offline and cannot be removed from that device by Apple. If continued access matters, download important purchases to a compatible device you control; regional availability varies. Apple Support’s guidance on downloading purchases.
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How large is the audience for iTunes purchases?
Paid downloads still have a measurable U.S. audience, though streaming is much larger in the available comparison. The Washington Post, reporting on the 2025 MRI-Simmons National Consumer Study, said about 11.1 million U.S. adults had bought music on iTunes in the prior month, compared with 116 million combined monthly U.S. subscribers to Apple Music and Spotify. The newspaper also reported that 81% of U.S. adults who bought iTunes music in the past month were 35 or older.
These are a dated survey snapshot reported by a newspaper, not Apple’s current usage statistics. They indicate that the Store still reaches buyers, but should not be read as 2026 audience totals or evidence that purchases are growing. The Washington Post’s report.
Why would artists sell an iTunes-exclusive edition?
An exclusive digital release can give committed fans another version to seek out and give an artist a promotional moment beyond the standard streaming release. Coverage also points to reaching audiences and possible chart positioning as incentives. The wider industry’s interest in superfans is consistent with that logic: Universal Music Group’s 2025 annual report cites Luminate’s finding that superfans spent 75% more per month on live events and physical music than the average music listener in 2024.
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That figure is about superfans’ broader spending, not iTunes buyers specifically, and it does not show that an iTunes exclusive causes higher sales or chart movement. A release’s effect would depend on factors such as the chart being considered, the measurement period, and how sales are counted. The accessible reporting does not provide enough detail to make a general causal claim.
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For listeners, the practical news is simple: the Store still exists, and some artists are reportedly using it for limited or bonus digital releases. If a specific exclusive interests you, check the artist’s official release information and the Store in your region; availability is not necessarily universal.
For the music business, iTunes may offer another way to package a release for fans who want more than streaming access. But that is different from a mass-market return to buying downloads. Streaming remains far larger in the survey comparison, and the reported chart example lacks the detail needed to establish either causation or a repeatable effect.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still buy songs from the iTunes Store?
Yes. Apple says iPhone and iPad users can visit the iTunes Store to buy and download songs, while Windows users can still download iTunes. Store features and what is available can vary by country or region.
Does an iTunes purchase mean I own a music file forever?
Apple says you can download purchased digital media and play it offline, but distribution-rights changes can affect whether it remains available to download again from Apple. Download purchases you want to keep accessible to a compatible device you control.
Is the iTunes Store the same thing as Apple Music?
No. The Store sells individual items, while Apple Music is a subscription service for catalog access. Apple also says Mac media functions are now spread across separate apps rather than the former all-purpose iTunes app.
What does an iTunes-only release mean?
It means an artist has made a particular release or edition exclusive to the iTunes Store, according to the reporting on the recent examples. It does not necessarily mean the artist’s other music is unavailable through streaming or elsewhere.
