Billboard:
Apple Music, which launches on June 30 with an arsenal of 30 million songs, has been in the works for more than a decade, says Iovine, who first started talking to the Cupertino-based giant on the heels of the iTunes launch in 2003. Now, it’s a reality, boasting on-demand streaming (with an offline component, to help stem the decline of downloads), a 24-hour human-curated radio station (helmed by former BBC DJ Zane Lowe) and a connect function that facilitates direct-to-fan engagement.
It’s a massive undertaking whose impact is sure to be felt almost instantaneously thanks to the 800 million credit cards Apple already has on file. With a click, users can sign up for $9.99 a month — or $14.99 for the family plan, which allows up to six accounts — price points that, Cue says, took much deliberation.
These interviews are always interesting not only for what they say but what they don’t say. Notwithstanding Iovine’s “unpracticed” appearance and Eddy Cue’s dancing during WWDC, these two guys are the brains and the engine behind the new service.
The whole Apple Music intro was too long. Iovine wasn’t just unrehearsed. He actually didn’t say anything meaningful. Drake was almost as bad, and said less. Can’t help but think that Drake negotiated for stage presence in return for not signing with Tidal.
The whole human curation angle seems contrived, and totally contrary to the increase in artificial intelligence in every other aspect of Apple’s products.
The problem is that Apple’s existing iTunes Match Radio stations have become much worse as have Genius constructed playlists. I don’t know why the AI isn’t working as well, but it’s not. While I was a bit unimpressed with the playlists I found on Beats with my trial, the basic idea is good as one sees in Spotify.
Some day the intelligence will return.
I like Match, yet I make my own play lists. I even buy music every so often.
So will there be a separate app for Apple Music? Does this mean we will have iTunes and Apple Music or will they roll it into iTunes?
Breaking up iTunes has been well overdue in my opinion. I hate using it and wish managing and accessing my content was easier. Sure, iTunes was good back when it was only about the music. And now its so big, it’s like the ‘third rail’, and nobody wants to touch it for fear disrupting the money engine.
I agree with your takes, except about human curation.
For example, ask a Sirius/XM customer what they love about the service. The human element of its programming is at the root. I suspect if Apple does Apple Music well its users will say the same thing.
Streaming is another word afor renting. Record companies have all the leverage. Apple Music is no different than any other “rental” service.
You have no music collection the minute you stop paying rent.
All the other stuff is just fluff and sideshow gimmickry.
No thank you.
Yes. Apple showed a “Music” app and said that iTunes (and iTunes Match) will still be around.
Human element as in hearing someone talk? Or human curation? I bet if you put human curation and algorithmic curation side by side, the majority of people can’t tell the difference. In the future, no one will be able to distinguish them.
You think radio is human curated. Not all.
Human curation, and I’ll take that wager 🙂
I highly doubt that. You say Iovine didn’t say anything meaningful. He sure did, you just weren’t listening. Algorithms alone can’t bring that emotional touch. And he’s absolutely right. An algorithm has absolutely no taste in music whatsoever
no one has mentioned the biggest failure in the Apple Music announcement/launch. it’s not Iovine coming off as unrehearsed (who cares? he’s a respected music producer, not a group-speak communicator, and it’s nice to see someone up there who isn’t totally managed by Apple PR) or eddie cue dancing in an ill-fitting untucked shirt. nope — it’s that the one thing people have asked for since iTunes inception that Apple has run from doing, please make iTunes and accessing mine or anyone’s music catalog simpler. users find all of iTunes daunting, at best. plus, this announcement told me nothing of what the service will offer, specifically, and what is free and what is for-pay. radio is now $9.99/month? wow. used to be free. or is that just the curated radio as opposed to random or AI? the connect portion seems like a good deal for artists big and small, but there’s no real info on how regular music consumers & fans will access it and for what. in other words, most of what was announced, save maybe the artists’ connect, was all ready in iTunes, but we weren’t being charged for it. now we’ll be charged? what innovation! but the main thing, making iTunes/Apple Music simpler, no where to be found.
“what is free…”
On June 30th, Apple will offer a free three month trial. After your three months is up – it’s all pay. There will not be any free component.
and that’s my problem. right now, iTunes radio, it’s pandora/spotify imitation, is free and works pretty good. the only thing you pay for is data charges on your iOS device if you’re on LTE, nothing if you’re on WiFi. that goes away, and that’s a problem.