Apple Music
Apple Music is an audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country, which are broadcast live to over 200 countries 24 hours a day. The service was announced on June 8, 2015, and launched on June 30, 2015. New subscribers get a one-month free or six months free trial with the purchase of select products before the service requires a monthly subscription.
This article is about the Apple streaming service. For the media player app from Apple, see Music (Apple). For the unrelated record label, see Apple Records.Developer
- Oliver Schusser (VP, Apple Music & International Content)
- Brian Bumbery (director, Apple Music Publicity)
- Trent Reznor (Creative Officer)
June 30, 2015
December 11, 2023
Student: US$5.99/month
Individual: US$10.99/month[b]
Family: US$16.99/month
167 countries; widely available in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and in parts of Africa and the Middle East
- Home Page:
apple.com /music - Web Player:
applemusic.com
Originally strictly a music service, Apple Music began expanding into video in 2016. Executive Jimmy Iovine has stated that the intention for the service is to become a "cultural platform", and Apple reportedly wants the service to be a "one-stop shop for pop culture". The company is actively investing heavily in the production and purchasing of video content, both in terms of music videos and concert footage that support music releases, as well as web series and feature films.
The original iOS version of Apple Music received mixed reviews, with criticism directed towards a user interface deemed "not intuitive". However, it was praised for its playlist curation, a vast library of songs to stream, and its integration with other Apple devices and services. In iOS 10, the app received a significant redesign, which received positive reviews for an updated interface with less clutter, improved navigation, and a bigger emphasis on users' libraries. Apple Music gained popularity rapidly after its launch, passing the milestone of 10 million subscribers in only six months. Though Apple does not disclose the amount of paid subscribers, research firm Midia Research estimated it at 78 million as of November 2021. As of October 2022, Apple Music reached the 100 million songs milestone in its streaming catalog in October 2022.[1]
As of May 5, 2023, the most streamed song of all time on Apple Music is "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran with more than 930 million plays worldwide.[2]
On November 8, 2023, it was revealed that Taylor Swift is the most streamed female artist in the platform's history as well as the female artist with most songs reaching Global Daily Top 100. It was also revealed that Midnights stands as the biggest album of all time by a female artist in the platform's history by first-day and first-week streams worldwide.
On November 28, 2023, it was announced that in 2023, Taylor Swift was the most listened-to artist by Apple Music subscribers, simultaneously setting a new all-time record for the most listeners for any artist in a single year.[3]
History[edit]
Preparation[edit]
Before Apple Music, the company's iPod and iTunes were known for having "revolutionized digital music."[16] Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was known to be opposed to the idea of music subscription services.[17] When Apple bought audio equipment maker Beats Electronics in 2014, Apple gained ownership of Beats' own service Beats Music,[18] and made Beats Music CEO Ian Rogers responsible for the iTunes Radio service.[19] Business Insider later reported that Apple was planning to merge the two services. Apple also hired noted New Zealand born British radio DJ Zane Lowe to serve as a music curator.[20]
After a period of rumors and anticipation, Sony Music CEO Doug Morris confirmed on June 7, 2015, that Apple had plans to announce a music streaming service, saying "It's happening tomorrow,"[21][22] with the launch later in the month.[4] Morris emphasized several times that he prefers paid streaming as opposed to ad-supported, from a financial perspective. Furthermore, Morris said he expects the service to be the "tipping point" to accelerate the growth of streaming, along with arguing that Apple has "$178 billion dollars in the bank. And they have 800 million credit cards in iTunes." as opposed to Spotify, which "never really advertised because it's never been profitable". Morris further argued that "Apple will promote this like crazy and I think that will have a halo effect on the streaming business. A rising tide will lift all boats. It's the beginning of an amazing moment for our industry."[21][22]
Royalty payment policy[edit]
Shortly before Apple Music was released, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift wrote an open letter publicly criticizing Apple's decision to not reimburse artists during a user's free trial period and announced that she would be holding back her album 1989 from the service. She said the policy was "unfair" as "Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those months".[23][24] UK independent record label Beggars Group also criticized the trial period, saying it struggled "to see why rights owners and artists should bear this aspect of Apple's customer acquisition costs".[25][26]
The day after Swift's letter, Apple Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue announced on Twitter that Apple had changed its policy, and that Apple Music "will pay artists for streaming, even during customers' free trial period".[27][28][29] On Twitter, Swift wrote "After the events of this week, I've decided to put 1989 on Apple Music... And happily so". She concluded saying it was "the first time it's felt right in my gut to stream my album".[30]
Record label cartel[edit]
In negotiations with record labels for the new service, Apple allegedly attempted to encourage record labels to pull their content from the free, ad-supported tiers of competing services such as Spotify and Amazon Music in order to drive adoption of Apple Music and offered an incentive to Universal Music Group to pull its content from YouTube. The United States Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into this alleged cartel in May 2015.[31][32]
Announcement and launch[edit]
The announcement happened as the signature "one more thing..." reveal at Apple's conference.[33] Hip hop artist Drake appeared onstage at the announcement event to elaborate on how he used the Connect platform, and Apple subsequently emphasized how "Independent music can share their music on Connect, too", in contrast to the iTunes Store, where small, independent artists were finding it difficult to participate.[33]
Developer
March 28, 2023
Included with Apple Music subscription
161 countries Widely in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and in parts of Africa and the Middle East
- Home Page: learn
.applemusic .apple /apple-music-classical