Deathxploitation of the Day: Sony Music and Apple are being criticised today for capitalizing on the death of Whitney Houston by raising the price of her Ultimate Collection by nearly five dollars.
The Guardian reports that news of the singer’s demise led Sony Music to raise the wholesale price of the 1997 hits compilation, prompting Apple to increase the iTunes retail price from £4.99 (~$7.90) to £7.99 (~$12.60).
The original price has since been restored.
Some have referred to Sony’s decision to profit from Houston’s untimely death as “cynical,” while others expressed anger toward Apple for “cashing in.” Though Sony’s increase of the wholesale price automatically raised the retail price on iTunes, The Guardian points out that “Apple is responsible setting the price paid by music fans.”
Ultimate Collection remains in the number two spot on Apple’s iTunes sales chart, just below Adele’s 21.
[guardian / digitalspy.]
