iTunes actually did have the option for the content owner to mark an album in such a way that single-track sales were not allowed, either for a set time after i

iTunes actually did have the option for the content owner to mark an album in such a way that single-track sales were not allowed, either for a set time after initial release, or forever. This allowed the majors to pretend things were still business as usual for a short while, but it quickly became clear that this was a hugely unpopular and unprofitable option, and 'album-only' became a thing of the past. Note that this wasn't hugely surprising to anyone, including the majors, because even they were well aware that in most markets the only albums still really selling were compilations (e.g. "Now that's what I call music" in the UK), so the consumer preference for singles was well-known...