Apple has begun urging record labels not to participate in a discounted MP3 promotion offered by rival Amazon.com and withdrawing iTunes Store marketing support for some releases featured as Amazon “Daily Deals,” Billboard reported, citing sources.

Amazon debuted its Daily Deal feature in June 2008, and has more recently been asking labels for a one-day exclusive on sales before an album’s official release date, as well as label marketing support for the Daily Deal on an artist’s website and social media pages, the head of sales at a major label told Billboard.

“When that happened, iTunes said, ‘Enough of that shit,’” the executive said.

Due to Apple’s pressure, sources told Billboard that label executives had decided not to promote recent releases from Lady Antebellum and Ke$ha as Amazon Daily Deals.

Authored by Mark Hefflinger

Tags: Amazon.com, Apple, Billboard, iTunes, iTunes Store, Lady Antebellum, Music, Record label

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