Seven things you need to know about Apple Music
During this year’s keynote speech, Apple CEO Tim Cook officially unveiled his company’s streaming platform, Apple Music. More than just a rebranding of Beats Music — the Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine-founded streaming service they bought for $3 billion last year — the service is now being presented as the “next chapter in music.”
Led by Jimmy Iovine, the streaming service’s unveiling came with more credence but less fanfare than TIDAL’s handful of superstar musicians. The industry icon’s message was also much different. Rather than address the issues of steaming revenue or royalty rates for artists, Iovine focused instead on exposure and career-building for artists in need of a voice.
Apple Music seeks to help artists reach their fans and to simplify the disjointed narratives that so many musicians are forced to maintain across an ever-growing number of social channels. It’s a content hub for an artist far beyond just their catalog of work, but rather a social channel specifically for music, musicians, and fans.
“Online music has become a complicated mess of apps, services and websites. Apple Music brings the best features together for an experience every music lover will appreciate.” – Jimmy Iovine
The mission statement aside, here’s what an average user can expect from Apple Music ahead of its June 30th street date.
1. All of iTunes on demand
If it’s on iTunes, it’s available to stream. Including The Beatles.
2. Beats 1
The first worldwide 24/7 radio station run by Zane Lowe of BBC 1 fame. The goal is to “move the needle” and outshine the mundane terrestrial stations. A place that Lowe himself attests is run by “real music fans.” Zane Lowe in Los Angeles, Ebro Darden in New York, and Julie Adenuga in London will be the three anchors for the constantly streaming station.
3. Top Notch Curation
The world’s leading music brands and tastemakers are all part of the Apple Music curation process. Suggestion algorithms are too rigid on their own so Apple has employed tastemakers across the industry to craft the perfect playlists for any occasion.
4. Streaming goes social
Connect provides one place to connect with fans for established, new, and unsigned artists. Share music, videos, pictures, thoughts, and more all within the Apple Music app.
5. Videos without the ads
In addition to all of the music on iTunes, the tens of thousands of music videos on the service are all available for streaming as well — free of advertising.
6. There’s no such thing as freemium.
Apple Music is free for the first three months but is $9.99 a month after that. Family plans for 6 people are just $14.99 a month.
7. It supports Android
Android-users won’t miss out on the Apple Music experience. But not until this fall.
Categories: Music