I ♥ iTunes

Look, I know I could find free downloadable music online, but I refuse to do that because I have such rotten luck, I am certain the feds would kick down my door, arrest me and make an example out of me. Believe me when I say that as tough as I am, I could not handle prison. I don't like being told what to wear. I like my air conditioning and cocktails. I like my comfortable bed. So, I will do anything I can to avoid prison. That said, I'll get back to my affection for iTunes.

Despite recent downloads and gifted music, I went searching for more summer tunes. I found this:

It included more than 40 songs - making each single less than a dollar. A bargain! And even though I had some of the songs already, there were more on the album that I did not have, so I clicked "buy album." Then, I started to listen to the songs. Something sounded off. I clicked on the ones I knew. Definitely NOT the original artist. When I looked at what was downloading, the artist was listed as "Audiogroove." Hmmm. Not at all what I wanted. I paused the download, then went online to ask iTunes for a refund. I was not optimistic because I should have listened to the music before I chose to buy the album. If I had bothered to look at the reviews, I would have seen plenty of people saying that this was not music by the original artists. Still, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. Then, I got this response:

Nicole, after reviewing the circumstances of your case, we determined that issuing you a refund for your unintentional purchase of "100% Top 40 Hits - Summer 2011" is an appropriate exception to the iTunes Store Terms and Conditions, which state that all sales are final. In five to seven business days, a credit of $27.02 should be posted to the credit card that appears on the receipt for that purchase.

YAY! They didn't have to give me a refund, but they chose to do it! Then, last night, out of the blue, I received this email from iTunes:

Thank you for downloading Lady Gaga's new album Born This Way. Our records indicated that you were charged the full retail price of the album, instead of the discounted price you should have received from the "Complete My Album" purchase.
Apple regrets any inconvenience caused by the issue. For each individual song you purchased before buying the entire album, we have provided you with a free song gift code, plus 1 additional code for the inconvenience. The codes listed below can be used to buy any song on the iTunes Store. Simply open iTunes, select iTunes Store, click "Redeem" under Quick Links and enter the code above.

I never would have known that I was overcharged! Apples own honesty means I get to choose four songs for free! Yes, I understand that I technically paid for them, but still - I get to choose the songs I want on Apple! Side note: If you ever want to know why you haven't been able to travel the world, look at how much you've spent on music. It's totally depressing, which is what makes these responses awesome!

I've never received such positive feedback from Amazon, but then, I'm only buying a song here or there and the occasional album (if I don't want the extras like you get on iTunes or if I'm not sure I'll like it and Amazon has it for $5). So, I'll sing Apple's praises - not literally, as I keep the singing confined to my car where the music is louder than me and no one has to actually hear me.