The subscription service was as much of a joke. Sure, it sounds great to be able to access a huge library for a low monthly fee, but guess what, if you don't pay that monthly fee...forever...you won't have access to any of your favorite music. A track on iTunes is $0.99. A track on the Zune subscription service was $∞.00.
Though as an interesting PS, the Zune Pass offers (offered?) 10 free permanent downloads every month. So, at 99c a track, you'd more or less make your subscription fee back.
The subscription model is the modern equivalent of the Columbia Music House. They'll send you music relentlessly even when you don't want it, only in this case if you cancel it all goes away and you've got nothing to show for it.
You'd have to be diligent to use those ten free downloads a month. You can't bank them, can you?
This is a ridiculous comparison. Do you pay for Netflix? Hulu Plus? Cable? Internet access? These are all subscription services.
Does it cost you infinite money to read Hacker News? Or to watch "Frasier" on cable or Netflix? Of course not. Zune Pass doesn't cost infinite money, either.
Columbia House was (is?) very nearly the opposite of a subscription. You paid for a crappy CD every month. You owned it. You didn't get inclusive access to a catalog.
Name 3 music subscription services that have 90+% overlap in their catalogs.