Backlash Over Whitney Price Hike

Sony and Apple have been criticised for hiking the cost of Whitney Houston albums within hours of her death.

The price of the singer’s Ultimate Collection jumped from £4.99 ($7.84) to £7.99 ($12.55) on Apple’s iTunes, although it has now returned to the original price.

Fans of the late soul star, who was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel suite Feb. 12, vented their anger on Twitter and described the price rises as “greedy” and a “disgrace.”

Sony, which owns the rights to much of Houston’s back catalogue, increased the wholesale price of the compilation album, automatically boosting its retail price.

Apple is still responsible for setting the price it charges music fans. By Feb. 13, it had cut the price back to £4.99.

So far, neither firm has commented on the sudden price hike, although an insider told The Guardian that the price increase was not a “cynical” move aimed at making more money.

He said the increase was the result of Sony reviewing the wholesale price of Houston’s catalogue and discovering that some had been priced too low.

By midday Feb. 13, The Ultimate Collection and Whitney – The Greatest Hits were in the top three albums on iTunes.