importantSYS.SOURCE: Derek Sivers• 2026-07-24T09:07:44Z
Steve Jobs' Public Criticism of CD Baby's iTunes Integration in 2003
Derek Sivers collaborated with Apple to integrate CD Baby's catalog into iTunes, but Steve Jobs publicly criticized the $40 fee during a keynote, leading Sivers to refund $200,000 and abandon promises beyond his control. The incident highlighted tensions between independent music distributors and major tech platforms during the early digital music era.
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