First as mentioned your choice is not just iTunes radio. There are now several streaming content providers and they provide more than just a pre-programmed radio station. My provider allows me to download in a compressed format to my phone any song in their library. That means no data streaming when traveling which for me is a great benefit and it still sounds great.

The question of is it worth it is easy to answer. If I had to pay for every album or single I currently have access too in my library it would cost me a ridiculous amount of money not to mention I would have to rip, compress and file all that music. That alone is worth it.

However there is another reason and perhaps the most important. Copy right protection for the artist. By paying a monthly fee to a streaming content provider you are allowing them to pay royalties to the artist or whoever owns the rights to the music. The royalties received by the artist are negotiated between the artists and provider and can range from royalty for each time the song is played to just a flat one time royalty. The bottom line is that it is good for the artist.

This is the new model the music industry is adopting and it makes sense. It's reasonably valued maybe even undervalued depending on ones consumption and it's fair. I love my service and what it provides. I have a library of music that I could never dream of having growing up.