Nowadays music is all about on/offline streaming from services like Spotify, Pandora, Rdio and Tidal. Rarely do you still find people who individually purchase their music. As this is currently the hottest trend in digital music, Apple, like the competitive corporation that it is, decided to introduce their own service in the hopes of topping all the rest. So is Apple Music just as good as they wanted it to be? It’s too soon to tell, but here’s what you need to know about this new Apple service.
So first things first, what is Apple Music? All in all, it is a subscription-based music streaming service that provides access to Apple Music’s entire library, which contains over 30 million songs. It comes with several other features that connect artists to fans and it provides coverage of global radios at any time of the day.
Apple Music is not just a revamped version of iTunes since, with Apple Music, you pay a flat fee to unlock access to the entire catalogue, but you don’t actually own any of it. The subscription costs $9.99 per month, or $14.99 for a family membership for up to six people!
Apple users are not the only ones who will be able to test out Apple Music, since Android users will also be able to have access starting this fall. And on top of that, Apple Music will expand to Apple TV around the same time. Broader access means more music for everyone!
While we are not new to radio on the Internet, Beats 1 promises to deliver a special selection of songs, interviews with artists and media news around-the-clock. Plus you’ll be able to broadcast music from top notch DJs based in LA, NY and London.
Connect allows subscribers to follow artists and interact with them within the Apple Music service, and it gives the artists an opportunity to share special content fans wouldn’t be able to hear anywhere else. So far there are Connect profiles for Drake, Bastille, Pharrell and many more.
Another feature that stands out with Apple Music is their curated selection of playlists. You’ll no longer find suggestions of artists and songs to listen to made by algorithms but now by actual people who will tailor the recommendations to your personal taste. Go Apple!
Still not sure if Apple Music is worth the monthly investment? Don’t worry, there is no need to commit right away since there is a free three-month trial! And you probably heard about it after the whole Taylor Swift fiasco. But going back to my point, you can test out the waters and enjoy the newly offered features without paying a penny!
More music streaming platforms mean more competition. So do you think Apple Music will replace your favorite playlists on Spotify?
Sources: macworld.com, bgr.com