Whitney Houston dies aged 48

[rebbonk]

[StevieG]

What a singer but when she got tied into drugs, it was inevitable what the outcome was to be.
RIP Whitney. so sad.

[dutchman]

Whitney Houston death: Apple accused of cashing in with LP price boost



Apple has been accused of exploiting the death of Whitney Houston by increasing the price of her albums on iTunes.

Fans of the late singer, who was found dead in Los Angeles yesterday (February 11) at the age of 48, spoke out after discovering that her back catalogue had been increased by as much as £3 in the hours since her passing.

Houston's 2007 Ultimate Collection increased by a total of £3 to £7.99 in the space of just 30 minutes, with iTunes users reporting that they were prevented from downloading the LP at its original advertised price while the update occurred.

Some accused Apple of "cashing in" on the tragedy, while others said that the company should be "ashamed" of their "shameless exploitation".

One user, who claimed to have spent two hours trying to purchase the Ultimate Collection at its original price, added: "To say I am angry is an understatement and I feel it is just a case of iTunes cashing in on the singer's death, which in my opinion is totally parasitic.

"The album itself is great so please don't be put off purchasing it, just [realise] that you will merely be lining some fatcat's pocket before Whitney's lifeless body is cold."

[dutchman]

Whitney Houston iTunes price hike blamed on Sony Music

Sony Music has been accused of raising the price of a Whitney Houston album on Apple's iTunes Store within hours of the singer's death in the US.

Angry fans initially pointed the finger at Apple for the increase in price of Houston's greatest hits album, The Ultimate Collection, from £4.99 to £7.99.

However, The Guardian reports that it was actually record label Sony Music which increased the album's wholesale price at about 4am California time on Sunday.

Originally released in 1997, The Ultimate Collection was the second biggest-selling album on iTunes on Monday, after Apple returned the record to its original price late yesterday.

But fans of the singer have hit out at the temporary price increase as it came so close to the 48-year-old being found dead at the Beverly Hills Hilton on Saturday afternoon, local time.

Some described the move as "cashing in" on the tragic death, while others said that Apple and Sony Music should be "ashamed" of the alleged "shameless exploitation".

Sony Music, which owns the rights to the majority of Houston's back catalogue, is thought to have increased the wholesale price of The Ultimate Collection, causing Apple to automatically boost the price on iTunes.

The Guardian claims that Sony Music opted to review Houston's entire iTunes catalogue after the singer was pronounced dead.

An insider told the paper that the album's price increase was not a "cynical" move, but admitted that the wholesale cost for The Ultimate Collection had been wrong.

Apple and Sony Music declined to comment.