After the acquiring Beats last year for $ 3.2 billion, Apple has finally integrated Beats in a whole new product called Apple Music. In a testament to show that technology and art can work together, Apple Music integrates Beats One, Apple’s first radio station, in 100 countries with three main DJs all wrapped in one single app on your iPhone.
Apple Music is three things:
1. A revolutionary music service
A human-curated playlists — this is basically the Beats Music pitch we’ve heard for a couple years.
2. 24/7 worldwide live radio station
A global radio station, that plays music not based on research, not based on genre, not based on drumbeats, just music that is great and feels great. If you love great music without any restrictions, you’re gonna love Beats One.
3. Beats Connect
This lets unsigned artists connect with fans. This something that Jay’s Tidal and Spotify and every other service already have. Look at it as some sort of social network for Artists.
Apple Music will apparently also do algorithmic recommendations. The new Apple Music UI has a New screen called “For You”: This is personalized playlists and albums you might like. It isn’t just algorithms, it’s recommendations made by Apple’s team of experts.
Drake is putting out his next album on Apple’s Connect
Speaking at the launch of the Event, Rapper Drake also graced the stage said
[signoff icon=”quote-circled”]”Growing up, I always wondered if my city or even my country would have someone break into music as a true superstar. It’s improbable to think that every talented artist will have a shot to get their vision validated. My team… we brought our music, and our vision directly to the people. The dream of being a new artist like myself five years ago and connecting directly with the audience has never been more real. Focus on your body of work. Instead of having to post your stuff on these different and sometimes confusing places, it’s all in one place: Connect. I hope you enjoy Apple Music, I hope you enjoy Connect. My name is Drake, thank you for your time.”[/signoff]
Apple Music will also launch on Android
Apple really pushed the “you’re a new artist and look at your big new audience on Connect” angle but there’s zero talk of how discovery or promotion will work for those artists, or what the royalty rates for them will look like. So it’s a streaming service, a radio station, and… Instagram?
Apple Music is launching June 30th in 100 countries with Android this fall and will cost 9.99 a month subscription but free for the first three months and $14.99 for up to six family members.
