The main reason you have to pay for songs on the iTunes Store is because of music licensing. When you buy a song from the iTunes Store, you are not only buying the file itself, but also the rights to listen to it. These rights are granted by the copyright holder of the song, who is typically the artist or record label. In order to legally sell the songs, Apple must pay a licensing fee to the copyright holder for each song that is purchased. The price of the song on the iTunes Store includes this licensing fee.
Artist compensation
Another reason why you have to pay for songs on the iTunes Store is to compensate the artist for their work. When you buy a song, a portion of the proceeds goes to the artist, which helps them to continue making music. By supporting artists by purchasing their songs, you are helping to keep the music industry alive.
Production costs
In addition to music licensing and artist compensation, the price of songs on the iTunes Store also includes the costs of production and distribution. These costs include things like recording the song, mixing it, mastering it, and creating the artwork for the single. By paying for songs, you are helping to support these costs and ensure that artists can continue to make high-quality music.
Convenience
Finally, you also have to pay for songs on the iTunes Store because it is convenient. You can easily browse through the store, find the songs you want, and purchase them with just a few clicks. You can also listen to your purchased songs on any of your Apple devices, including your iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Mac.