Guy Garvey: 'iTunes Must Allow Artists To Lock Albums'

Elbow frontman Guy Garvey has called for digital music stores, such as iTunes, to ban users from downloading individual tracks off albums.

Speaking exclusively to Gigwise, Garvey said that Apple’s music store must do more to prevent the album “dying as an art form”.

iTunes currently allows users to download artists’ albums for £7.99, and individual tracks for 79p.

“It needs looking after, it needs protecting, internet music companies like iTunes need to let artists present and sell their music in the way they want to,” he said.

“Ultimately, iTunes is a device for selling hardware, MP3 playing hardware, so they should give the artists the freedom to lock their records if they want and it’s something that I’m personally gonna see if I can make happen because it’s ****ing important.”

Elbow, who release they’re fourth album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, next Monday (March 17th), are one of a number of bands who mix songs on their albums together.

However, Garvey admits that this might not be enough.

“iTunes has to agree to lock albums so you can’t buy any original tracks without buying the whole thing.

“It’s not the buying thing either, it’s not like I want £7.99 not 79p, I’d rather people went ripped the whole thing for free than got the individual tracks for 79p each, you know what I mean, there’s no point in doing what we do.”

To read more about Garvey's thoughts on this subject and a full feature with Elbow, CLICK HERE.

Do you agree with Garvey? Should users only be able to download albums in full? Why not leave a comment below...