Pop stars are turning to iTunes Store exclusives, according to 9to5Mac’s account of a Financial Times report. The Financial Times describes the store as a place to sell collectibles to superfans, reach new audiences and bolster chart positions. Those are the report’s proposed benefits, not established results for every release.
In the Financial Times passage quoted by 9to5Mac, Ariana Grande surprise-released a live version of Petal exclusively on iTunes in September 2026. The passage also names Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Doja Cat, Summer Walker and Tinashe among artists with iTunes-exclusive releases in recent years. 9to5Mac says Charli XCX made the B-side songs to Music, Fashion, Film an iTunes exclusive.
9to5Mac reports that Petal moved from No. 15 to No. 6 on a chart when Grande announced the live release. It does not identify the chart, its territory or the ranking period, and the timing alone does not establish that the exclusive caused the climb. The site also relays the Financial Times’ account that Swift’s Life of a Showgirl did better from physical and digital sales in its first U.S. week than it did on streaming services, without supplying quantities or a measurement method.
Apple retired the iTunes Mac app in 2019, as 9to5Mac notes. That app is distinct from the iTunes Store discussed in the report.
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