Apple, Sony Music blasted after iTunes Whitney Houston price hike

By Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American

According to digitalspy.com, the price for Whitney Houston’s greatest hits album, The Ultimate Collection, jumped from $4.70 to $14.99 on iTunes after news of the singer’s death.

Upset fans accused Apple of trying to capitalize on Houston’s death. Apple in turn pointed the finger at Sony Music, saying the record company increased the wholesale cost of the album, causing the iTunes price to automatically increase.

Apple later returned the album to its original price late Sunday, February 12. No word on whether other online stores such as Amazon and Google Music were affected.

This article originally published in the February 20, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.