iTunes music downloads pass the quarter billion mark

Music fans have downloaded more than 250 million songs from Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes music service, the company reported today. Consumers are buying songs at the rate of 1.15 million a day, the company says. The iTunes Music Store is available in 15 countries, which the company says represent more than 70% of the global music market.

Apple launched iTunes in April 2003. "When we launched the iTunes Music Store we were hoping to sell a million songs in the first six months-now we`re selling over a million songs every day and we`ve sold over a quarter billion songs in total," said Steve Jobs, Apple`s CEO. "iTunes is leading the way into the digital music era and together with iPod is changing the way millions of music lovers find and enjoy their music."

The iTunes Music Store features more than one million songs from the major music companies and 600 independent record labels, over 9,000 audiobooks, gift certificates and exclusive music.