i-tunes and japanese release only tracks

[Wheres Izzy]

I don't get the songs that are being chosen to be left off of some albums and frankly having to search them out and not being able to discuss them at length with friends who are fans of the same artists but can't hear them is frustrating. Everyone is very familiar with "messages" being left off Libertad and it seems that almost everyone is in agreement that it should have replaced some song or another on the album. I also feel that "Gas and a $ Laugh" should have made the album. Both tracks in my opinion are FAR better than "for a brother", "SBQM", and "American Man". When Ozzy released Black Rain a couple months back I was very excited as I have been a fan for a very long time and he had said he felt it was his best work in a while. I was very satisfied with the album altho I didn't feel it lived up to quite that hype. This afternoon I downloaded the tracks left off for the Japanese and i-tunes releases (ala messages and gaa$l). The songs, "I can't save you" & "nightmare", are phenomenal. Amazing. I LOVE both of them, best songs from the album.....and again they're not on the album. It's annoying for a few reasons. First of all I'll admit I download music without buying it sometimes. I think everyone is guilty of that. But for artists that I really love I enjoy having a hard copy of an album. That's the obvious case for me with Ozzy and VR. However to get to these songs I am forced to either spend a ton of extra cash on an import and then wait for it or down load them. I think the choice is obvious. I think this really is dumb on the music industries part because it's encouraging downloading. I've heard it mentioned that the reasoning for extra japanese tracks is because it is cheaper for folks in Japan to buy albums from America and they don't want that so that is what it is. And I guess the reasoning behind i-tunes is in exchange for a hard copy you're getting something extra and they pay out the artists who save money by not having an actual product made up. My gripe isn't even with these dealings-it's the song selection. I would honestly like to know who is making these decisions-artists, management, labels, or other because it's insane to me that some of these great songs are being kept from the fans.

[faldor]

A lot of information in that post.  But, I agree.  Not familiar with the Ozzy tunes, but it sure is a shame "Messages" was left off Libertad.  They forced my hand to download it by leaving it off the album.

[BaDoBsEsSiOn418]

Yeah, it's absolute crap, and it's pissing me off.  Not just iTunes either, they have Best Buy or Target exclusives. 

I'd love to hear the extra Ozzy songs, and I'm not buying the album all over again on iTunes.   

[Wheres Izzy]

Yeah, it's absolute crap, and it's pissing me off.? Not just iTunes either, they have Best Buy or Target exclusives.?

I'd love to hear the extra Ozzy songs, and I'm not buying the album all over again on iTunes.? ?

yeah thats exactly what I mean. It's stupid. It's like you're being punished or penalized for being a real fan who goes out and buys a cd. And the songs they're choosing doesn't even make any sense unless they're gonna go the way of pop singers (realease the album, save a strong single, re-release album with song).