i am SO over (itunes exclusive)s

i get that record labels (hint hint...ATO) want to gain new fans for their bands (well, i guess they do. they don't seem too into promoting gomez but whatever) but releasing itunes exclusives is bullshit. the apparent purpose of these exclusive songs is to entice people to buy the whole album on itunes rather than just a few songs. meanwhile, the dedicated fans who pre-order the album and pay for shipping are screwed. 

with ben kweller's latest release, i probably paid around $15 when it was all said and done and that album was released on itunes for $7.99 with an exclusive song AND video. now the new gomez album is out and there's an exclusive song on it too. apparently in the uk you can buy just that one song but not here. A LOT of people that pre-ordered the new album are left wanting to buy the whole thing on itunes again just for that ONE song. one song. 

to me, it just feels like a big fuck you to the people who buy every album, the t-shirts, the onesies, and spend their tax returns to travel across the country to see the band live. 

and i don't really want to get started on what best buy is selling that the music today shop wasn't. it's the new gomez album with a live dvd from the vic in chicago back in 2007. once again, anyone who pre-ordered the album does not get this dvd. lame. the management and label will try to argue that by pre-ordering you get a signed booklet but, really, who gives a shit? i have signed booklets and posters and they're in boxes in my closet. but a live dvd? i would like to have that.