I got ripped – If Apple is banking on iTunes LP they need to work harder with a thin selection and not much special in the delivery

In Apple makes a bid for your home network with iTunes Home Share, we had a first look at iTunes LP a new feature in iTunes 9.

The devil is always in the details and this product/service is sadly missing anything worth paying for.

Here is the iTunes LP pitch –

iTunes LP The best thing to happen to fandom.

The visual experience of the record album returns with iTunes LP. Download select albums and experience a beautifully designed, interactive world right in your iTunes library on a Mac or PC — many are created by the artists. While you listen to your favorite songs, you can dive into animated lyrics and liner notes, watch performance videos, view artist and band photos, and enjoy other bonus materials. And become an even bigger fan. iTunes

Sadly the marketing is light years ahead of the actual iTunes LP product, a collection of warmed over things you can get free from the Internet. I feel ripped off for $16.99.

With only a few LPs to select from, I chose – who would guess – Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited revered by Dylan fans as one of his top three if not the top.

The other LPs available were: Jazz Z The Blueprints 3, Dave Matthews Band, The Doors, Grateful Dead, Norah Jones, Tyrese Gibson’s Mayhem and Muse. Not exactly a big catalog.

I already own more copies of Highway 61 from the original vinyl, downloads,  videos, and the SACD and regular CDs.   I wanted to see what the iTunes LP offered for $16.99 in which is $8 more than the regular album.

Once in the iTunes Store, iTunes LP was no where to be found. Hint: try Home where it shows up as a tiny reference in the upper right.

Making the selection, I had to fight with the annoying password, the third time it asked for a password. It accepted my order but compared to Amazon.com the interface is weak and slows down the purchase. Anyone can buy music faster on Amazon than iTunes. Why do people like iTunes Store?

About 30 minutes later the download was finished.

Back in iTunes, there was no menu item for iTunes LP or an icon.

Guessing I found it in the View…Cover or Grid. Nothing said Highway 61 Revisited was an iTunes LP selection. I guessed and was right. Only the Grid gets you to the special material and only by guessing.

What you get with iTunes LP

• You get the $8.99 album selection of songs
• Cover art
• Back cover and liner studio photos
• Liner notes
• Credits
• 3 videos from Bob Dylan: The Other Side of the Mirror 1965 Newport Folk Festival – sound check, Like a Rolling Stone and It’s All Over Now Baby Blue

None of the additional materials is new or particularly valuable. The cover art and liner notes are on the Internet along with the videos from YouTube including the sound check.

It was amusing to watch an irritated and shirtless Peter Yarrow from Peter Paul and Mary (the band was too loud!) and a happy Mike Bloomfield.

I’ll pass in iTunes LP. It’s not going to bring anyone but suckers to the iTunes store. Apple has no idea how rich and immersive the free Internet has become.