Apple Marks 10 Billionth Song Download
After just seven years of getting people 'moving to the music,' Apple's iTunes celebrated a milestone Thursday with their 10 billionth download.
In the lead up to the occasion, Apple announced they would give $10,000 in free music to the lucky downloader -- but the song wasn't Lady Gaga or the Black-eyed Peas. It was classic country - Johnny Cash's 1958 hit, "Guess Things Happen That Way."
The winner was Louie Sulcer, a 71-year-old from Woodstock, Ga. The retired grandfather of nine was given an iPod Nano as a birthday gift last October.
Sulcer told CBS News, "The phone rang, my wife looked at it, and it said 'Apple.'"
Sulcer almost hung up when he heard what the caller said.
Sulcer said he heard, "Congratulations this is Steve Jobs, of Apple. And I said, 'Right. You're not Steve Jobs.'"
But it was. And Jobs wasn't the only famous name on the line.
Sulcer said Jobs told him, "'I want to introduce Mrs. Rosanne cash to you - Johnny Cash's daughter. She said, 'We're so proud that the winning pick was one of my dad's songs.'"
Ian Drew, senior music editor for Us Weekly, said on "The Early Show" Sulcer is definitely not the typical iTunes demographic, also remarking that the song, "Guess Things Happen That Way," is about things falling out that way.
Drew said the popularity of people, such as Susan Boyle, were bolstered this year by the older demographic buying their music, usually in stores. However, the top iTunes picks, he said, are usually associated with a younger audience.
Drew called Apple's download milestone "a little surprising," but said technology has really taken off in this way in recent years.
"A whole part of our culture is gone," Drew said. "We don't go out to record stores anymore on the weekends, and go through records and discover music that way. It's all online. I mean, you YouTube something to find out if you want to hear it or not, real quick, you hear it and you download it instantly, and so people have it. The whole process of being a music connoisseur is lost, which is sad, but on the other hand, this is much easier than ever before."
Drew forecasted that the music experience isn't isolated to downloads. He said people could have an entire 3-D experience in the coming years with their music.
"You won't even have to go to concerts anymore," he said.
Drew also shared the top downloaded iTunes songs of all time (since iTunes launched in 2003):
1. "I Gotta Feeling" - Black Eyed Peas
2. "Poker Face" - Lady GaGa
3. "Boom Boom Pow" - Black Eyed Peas
4. "I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz
5. "Viva la Vida" - Coldplay
6. "Just Dance" - Lady GaGa & Colby O'Donis
7. "Low (feat. T-Pain)" - Flo Rida
8. "Love Story" - Taylor Swift
9. "Bleeding Love" - Leona Lewis
10. "TiK ToK" - Ke$ha
11. "Disturbia" - Rihanna
12. "So What" - P!nk
13. "I Kissed a Girl" - Katy Perry
14. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" - Beyoncé
15. "Hot N Cold" - Katy Perry
16. "Stronger" - Kanye West
17. "Live Your Life (feat. Rihanna)" - T.I.
18. "Hey There Delilah" - Plain White T's
19. "Right Round" - Flo Rida
20. "Party In the U.S.A." -Miley Cyrus
21. "Don't Stop Believin'" - Journey
22. "Bad Romance" - Lady GaGa
23. "Use Somebody" - Kings of Leon
24. "Fireflies" - Owl City
25. "How to Save a Life" - The Fray