So, they did it. iTunes became the top music retailer today. A sad thing for me, a child of the 7" singles era, but no great surprise. I have only just begun to shop there and have only just learned how to make it work for me.

Although I am now in posession of my 7th portable media device over the last 10 years, I have only just recenty succumbed to making content purchases on iTunes. How have I made it through the past decade without performing online content purchases? Well, I have a massive collection of CD's and I record a ton of content on TV, specifically Late-Night talk show music guests. Transferring that treasure trove into my devices has been a great experience over the years, but the novelty is wearing thin. I'm getting sick of my physical collection.

So why iTunes? Well, for one, I've moved to consuming all of my content on a Nano and an iPhone (sorry good old Zune). Nano for the car, iPhone for all other times. This, naturally, has me managing my content in iTunes... the temptaion is there to buy... they got me with their sexy little devices. But it was a horrible experience attempting to learn how to shop on iTunes in a way that works for me. Like, I would say a three month learning curve. It was exhausing and frustrating. I wondered if I would ever get to like it at all. It is simply not built for people like me, the ones who spend an hour in the CD shop going through every single bin hunting for that one true gem. It was designed for mass consumption of mediocre label-driven hit artists. Surely, just like the CD shop, I could figure out how to get around the end-displays and find the gold, right?

Well, I finally found my groove. It requires some patience and is not what I would wish for the ultimate experience, but it's working for me right now. Here's how I attack...

1) I've learned to love shopping for only the one-to-three songs per album that I would ever have listened to if I had purchased the full CD anyway. I look at it as saving big $ per album with the single tunes only costing a very fair .99 apiece.

2) I have tapped into the free podcast offerings and have been pleasantly surprised.

3) I'm enjoying the free cable TV programs, and have even purchased a few TV shows - perfect length and mood for a short train ride into Manhattan.

4) Movies on my iPhone have become a regular thing. I have not rented yet, but silly films (ones that do not require the full movie screen IMO) for $10 is perfect, plus my kids can watch them too when they want. Hot Rod is a perfect example. Who would go to a theater for that?

5) Search works, recommendations works, the library of music is extensive, and artists with long and varied careers can be mined very effectively.

6) I dig the 'recently added' and 'new' functions on certain pages.

There you have it. I'm one of the folks who has made the move. I openly admit it. I am not ashamed.