Within less than 5 years of opening, the iTunes store has surpassed Wal-Mart as the largest distributer of music, according to the NPD Group’s MusicWatch survey, with 19% of the market to Wal-Marts 15%.  With Wal-Mart being the primary leader of music sales for may years, they have controlled the behavior of the music industry.  Controlling, at times, as much as 25% of all music distribution, but having that product account for less than 1% of revenues, it allowed Wal-Mart to run the show, censoring not only the music but even packaging and advertising.  With iTunes parental control, it allows for uncensored distribution of music and places the responsibility of monitoring children’s or personal listening practices on the individual, not a cooperation.  While I doubt this means pop music will get better, I do believe it begin to reduce studio pressure on artists to make their albums “Wal-mart friendly.”

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