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The first version of iTunes didn't just appear out of thin air. It was based on software named SoundJam, which was available for the Mac long before iTunes came to be.
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Check out that SoundJam MP player! You can see its influences on iTunes already.
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Yes, the very first version of iTunes was released on CD, of all things. Sacrebleu!
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Apple released the first version of iTunes on January 9, 2001 (that's today, 12 years ago). It was based on SoundJam MP's code and aimed to be Mac users' hub for music. Apple called it "World’s Best and Easiest To Use Jukebox Software," and, because everyone still ripped and burned CDs back then, used the tagline "Rip. Mix. Burn."
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iTunes 2.0 was released in late 2001 alongside the introduction of the original iPod.
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iTunes 3.0 came out in mid-2002 with a new feature called "Smart Playlists," which were dynamic playlists based on a set of rules.
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iTunes 4's release in early 2003 brought with it the first version of the iTunes Music Store. Users were tempted into cherry-picking individual downloads for 99¢ apiece instead of buying full albums or CD singles.
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iTunes 5 was released in 2005 with support for the newly released iPod nano, Smart Shuffle, podcasts, and more.
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iTunes 6 was also released in 2005, with its major new feature being music videos in the iTunes Store.
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Cover Flow made its first appearance within the iTunes application in 2006. iTunes 7 also brought a revamped iTunes Store, which started carrying movies for the first time.
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In 2008, the release of iTunes 8.0 brought Genius Playlists.
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Home Sharing came with iTunes 9 when it was released in 2009. It was meant to help users on the same Wi-Fi network share their DRM-free iTunes music.
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iTunes 10 was released in 2010 with Ping, Apple's attempt at making the iTunes Store into a social network. It didn't work too well.
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A major part of iTunes 11's release in November 2012 included a UI makeover. This included a new album view.
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Apple touted a complete redesign of the mini-player when iTunes 11 was released in November 2012.
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iTunes 11's "Next Up" allows you to see what's coming up in your list. For more reminiscing, check out our piece on iTunes through the ages published in 2012.
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