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Apple Music

From Alfawiki
Apple Music
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryMusic streaming, Video streaming
FoundedJune 30, 2015; 11 years ago (2015-06-30)
FounderApple Inc.
Headquarters
Cupertino, California
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide (over 200 countries)
Key people
Jimmy Iovine (executive)
ProductsMusic and video streaming service, Live radio channels
OwnerApple Inc.
Websitemusic.apple.com

Apple Music is a streaming platform for audio and video content, created by Apple. It enables users to listen to music on demand or enjoy expertly curated playlists. The service also includes several continuously broadcasting live internet radio channels—Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, Apple Music Country, Apple Música Uno, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music Chill—available in over 200 countries worldwide. Announced on June 8, 2015, and launched later that month on June 30, the platform offers new users either a one-month free trial or six months complimentary access with certain product purchases before transitioning to a subscription model.

Initially launched as a music-only service, Apple Music expanded its offerings to include video content in 2016. Executive Jimmy Iovine characterized the service’s ambition as establishing a "cultural platform," striving to become a comprehensive destination for pop culture enthusiasts. Apple allocates significant resources toward producing and acquiring video materials such as music videos, concert recordings, web series, and feature-length films to complement its music catalog.

The first iteration on iOS received mixed critiques due to a user interface deemed "not intuitive," yet it was commended for its playlist curation capabilities, vast song selection, and seamless integration with Apple hardware. Improvements introduced with iOS 10 enhanced usability by focusing on users’ personal libraries and streamlining navigation, garnering favorable reviews. Apple Music rapidly expanded its user base, achieving 10 million subscribers within six months of launch. Although Apple does not officially release subscriber figures, Midia Research estimated approximately 78 million paying subscribers by late 2021. The service’s music library exceeded 100 million tracks as of October 2022.

Description

Apple Music provides on-demand streaming of over 100 million tracks, featuring playlists curated by industry professionals alongside personalized recommendations. It offers six live radio stations operating around the clock: Apple Music 1 (formerly Beats 1) hosted by DJ Zane Lowe, Apple Music Hits, Apple Music Country, Apple Música Uno, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music Chill—broadcast across more than 100 countries. The radio service is accessible free of charge to all users, including those without an active subscription. Subscribers can create profiles to share their musical tastes with friends and follow others’ listening activities.

The service integrates with iCloud to synchronize users’ personal song collections with its extensive library, merging individual iTunes libraries with streaming content. It is deeply embedded within Apple's ecosystem, supporting features like the Siri voice assistant and AirPlay streaming technology. Since late 2019, a beta version of a web player has been available to access the platform from non-Apple devices.

The user interface is organized into five main sections: "Library," "Home," "New," "Radio," and "Search." The "Library" tab arranges personal music collections by playlists, artists, albums, songs, or offline downloads. "Home" delivers personalized suggestions enhanced by expert curation and user input via likes and dislikes. In 2024, the "New" tab replaced the former "Browse" section, highlighting new album releases, curated playlists, upcoming albums, and categories such as genres and top charts. The "Radio" tab features Apple Music Radio along with genre-specific stations offering options to skip tracks and view station playlists. The "Search" tab enables queries by artist name, album title, user profile, song name, or lyrics while displaying recent and trending searches.

The "Now Playing" control bar allows users to add songs to their library or download them for offline listening; it also manages playback order with shuffle and repeat functions while displaying synchronized lyrics in real time during playback.

Artist pages showcase profile banners along with play buttons that initiate artist-centric radio stations. These pages include sections for featured releases, albums, singles, most popular tracks, and biographical information. Users can follow other profiles to monitor their listening habits.

The Apple Music Replay feature compiles annual listening statistics accessible from the "Listen Now" tab—tracking minutes played per track, artist, or album—and ranks preferred genres from most to least listened-to. It also presents interactive animations summarizing yearly activity and key milestones.

Audio quality options
Name Bitrate
High Efficiency HE-AAC (variable bitrate)
High Quality AAC at 256 kbit/s
Lossless ALAC ranging from 16-bit/44.1kHz up to 24-bit/48kHz
Hi-Res Lossless ALAC at 16-bit or 24-bit between 88.2kHz and 192kHz

Apple Music is compatible with iOS devices running version 8.4 or later; iPadOS starting from version 13.0; macOS Catalina and newer; iTunes version 12.2 or above on Windows PCs; as well as Apple Watch, Apple TV, CarPlay systems, and HomePod speakers. It is additionally available on Android devices (version 4.3+), ChromeOS platforms, Amazon Echo smart speakers, Sonos audio systems, and through a beta web player interface. Sony incorporated support for Apple Music on PlayStation 5 in October 2021; subsequently the service became accessible on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles in October 2022.

Preparation

Prior to the introduction of Apple Music, Apple's iPod and iTunes had already transformed the digital music landscape. Former CEO Steve Jobs was initially resistant to the idea of subscription-based music services. When Apple acquired Beats Electronics in 2014, the deal included Beats' streaming platform, Beats Music, with Beats CEO Ian Rogers managing iTunes Radio. Apple intended to integrate these offerings and brought on British radio personality Zane Lowe to serve as a music curator.

On June 7, 2015, Sony Music CEO Doug Morris confirmed that Apple was about to launch a streaming service. He emphasized his preference for paid streaming models over ad-supported ones due to their superior revenue potential. Morris anticipated that Apple's entry would accelerate the growth of streaming, pointing out Apple's substantial financial resources—"$178 billion in cash reserves" and 800 million iTunes credit cards—contrasted with Spotify's lack of profitability and reliance on advertising. He predicted Apple's marketing efforts would create a "halo effect" benefiting the broader streaming sector.

Royalty payment policy

Ahead of Apple Music’s debut, Taylor Swift publicly condemned Apple’s policy of withholding payments to artists during users’ free trial periods, leading her to withhold her album 1989 from the platform. She described this practice as "unfair," emphasizing that "Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those months." Similarly, UK independent label Beggars Group criticized the trial period policy, questioning why rights holders and artists should shoulder the costs of Apple’s customer acquisition strategy.

Following Swift’s public objection, Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue announced a reversal of this policy: artists would be compensated for streams during free trials. Subsequently, Swift agreed to make 1989 available on Apple Music, stating it was "the first time it's felt right in my gut to stream my album."

Record label cartel

During Apple Music negotiations, Apple reportedly encouraged major record labels to withdraw their content from free ad-supported tiers on rival platforms such as Spotify and Amazon Music, aiming to drive adoption of Apple Music. Additionally, incentives were offered to Universal Music Group to remove content from YouTube. These actions led to investigations by the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission starting in May 2015.

Announcement and launch

Apple Music was revealed as the signature "one more thing..." announcement at an Apple event, with hip hop artist Drake highlighting the Connect feature's value for independent musicians—a contrast to the constraints of the iTunes Store.

The service launched on June 30, 2015, across 100 countries, initially providing a three-month free trial before transitioning users to a monthly subscription; this trial duration has since been shortened to one month. A family plan was introduced allowing up to six members to share a subscription at a reduced cost. Although Apple initially proposed a lower subscription price, this was rejected by the music industry. Apple Music debuted within the iOS 8.4 Music app, with planned support for Apple TV and Android devices set for fall 2015. Exclusive launch promotions featured Pharrell Williams’ unreleased track "Freedom" and the "History of Sound" commercial showcasing Wildbirds & Peacedrums’ song There Is No Light. Upon launch, Beats Music subscribers and playlists were transitioned into Apple Music, resulting in Beats Music's closure.

In May 2016, Apple introduced a student discount membership offering half-price subscriptions, initially rolled out in select countries such as the US, UK, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand; this offer expanded to an additional 25 countries by November 2016.

By February 2016, Apple Music had expanded its reach to 113 countries—including 59 markets where competitor Spotify was not present—and further extended availability to Israel and South Korea in August 2016.

On April 21, 2020, Apple announced its expansion into 52 additional countries, bringing total coverage to 167 countries worldwide.

User growth

In January 2016, Fortune revealed that Apple Music had amassed 10 million paying subscribers just six months after its debut—achieving in half a year what took Spotify six years to reach. The subscriber count continued to climb steadily: 11 million by February, 13 million in April, 15 million in June, 17 million by September, and hitting 20 million by December 2016. By mid-2017, the platform had grown to 27 million subscribers, increasing further to 36 million in February 2018 and 38 million in March. This upward trajectory persisted with 40 million users in April 2018, reaching 50 million by May, 56 million at the end of 2018, and ultimately attaining 60 million subscribers by June 2019.

Apple Music's primary rival remains Spotify, which as of June 2025 boasts a substantially larger audience with 640 million annual users globally, compared to Apple Music’s 93 million.

Expansion into video

In October 2015, Apple and Drake entered an agreement to debut the "Hotline Bling" music video exclusively on Apple Music. Later that December, Apple premiered Taylor Swift’s tour documentary, The 1989 World Tour, solely on the platform. In February 2016, it was announced that Dr. Dre would both star in and executive produce Vital Signs, described as Apple's inaugural scripted television series. However, reports suggested this initiative was largely promotional to broaden Apple Music’s exposure rather than a full-scale original TV production.

Apple acquired the rights to Carpool Karaoke from The Late Late Show with James Corden in July 2016, intending to distribute it through Apple Music. Though its release was postponed from the initially planned April 2017 date, the series ultimately premiered on August 8, 2017.

By January 2017, Apple was actively pursuing original video projects including television shows and films. Jimmy Iovine confirmed intentions to launch Apple Music’s first TV-style series within that year to establish the service as a "cultural platform." To aid development of its video offerings, Apple hired Shiva Rajaraman, a former YouTube product manager. In April, Apple Music secured exclusive rights for Sean Combs's documentary "Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story," which debuted in June. Concurrently, Will.i.am created the reality series Planet of the Apps, centered on app development; featuring one hundred developers, it premiered on June 6, 2017.

In June 2017, Apple brought on board Sony TV executives Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg—known for their work on shows such as Breaking Bad and Shark Tank—to oversee original programming initiatives. Later that year, Michelle Lee joined as a creative executive along with additional hires from Hulu and Legendary Entertainment to bolster Apple's video content division.

On October 19, 2020, Apple introduced Apple Music TV in the United States—a free livestream channel broadcasting music videos around the clock reminiscent of early MTV. Programming includes weekly premieres of new videos, artist takeovers, original documentaries, live concerts, and chart countdowns. The channel launched with a countdown featuring the top 100 most-streamed songs on Apple Music.

On May 17, 2022, Apple unveiled Apple Music Live, a concert series debuting with Harry Styles performing live from New York City on May 20.

Plan and pricing adjustments

Apple unveiled the Apple Music Voice plan on October 19, 2021, offering a lower-cost subscription at $4.99 per month, which limited access to the music catalog and required playback through Siri. This particular plan was discontinued on November 1, 2023, without any official explanation.

On June 24, 2022, the price of Apple Music’s student subscription in the United States increased from $4.99 to $5.99 monthly—the first price revision since its introduction—alongside comparable adjustments in the U.K. and Canada. Later, on October 24, 2022, Apple implemented broader price hikes for standard subscriptions in multiple regions: the Individual plan increased by $1 to $10.99 per month, the Family plan went up by $2 to $16.99 per month, and the Annual Individual subscription rose by $10 to $109 per year.

Cross-platform availability

Apple expanded Apple Music to Android devices in November 2015, marking its inaugural major consumer app launch on that operating system. The application underwent a redesign in April 2017 to incorporate features consistent with iOS 10. On November 30, 2018, support for Apple Music was extended to Amazon Echo smart speakers, previously exclusive to HomePod devices.

A beta version of the Apple Music web player was introduced on September 5, 2019, granting users complete access to their libraries along with essential functionalities and ongoing improvements. In January 2023, Apple released a beta app for Windows 11 aimed at replacing iTunes for Windows, enhancing usability and cross-platform integration.

Additional advancements

Personalized playlists such as "My New Music Mix" and "My Chill Mix" were launched in September 2016 and June 2017 respectively, designed to boost user interaction through customized music recommendations.

The "Connect" feature was retired on December 13, 2018, as Apple shifted its focus toward revamped artist profiles and enhanced sharing tools introduced with iOS 11.

In November 2019, Apple debuted Apple Music Replay—a year-end playlist summarizing users’ most-played songs—mirroring similar offerings like Spotify Wrapped. Concurrently, Apple Music for Business was launched to provide tailored playlists for partnered retail outlets. At this point, the service’s catalog had grown beyond 60 million tracks.

Throughout 2020, Apple secured long-term agreements with major record labels Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group to broaden artist promotion and streaming rights. Starting October 30, 2020, Apple Music became part of the Apple One subscription bundle alongside services such as News+, iCloud storage, Arcade gaming, and TV+.

On May 17, 2021, Apple announced that subscribers would gain access to lossless audio via the ALAC codec and Dolby Atmos spatial audio without additional charges. By December of that year, the entire library of approximately 90 million songs had been upgraded to lossless format. The Android version of the app incorporated these features starting July 2021.

Apple secured a multi-year sponsorship deal with the NFL on September 22, 2022, becoming the official sponsor of the Super Bowl halftime show beginning with Super Bowl LVII.

With the release of iOS 16.2 on December 13, 2022, Apple introduced "Apple Music Sing," a karaoke feature enabling synchronized lyrics display and adjustable vocal levels on compatible devices.

Focusing on growth in India during 2024, Apple partnered with Bharti Airtel to provide complimentary access to its music and video streaming services for Airtel’s premium subscribers.

In February 2024, Djay software integrated Apple Music streaming capabilities across MacOS, Windows, Android devices, iPads, iPhones, and Vision Pro platforms. By March 2025, Apple further extended DJ compatibility to include Rekordbox, Serato, Engine DJ software suites as well as select standalone hardware from AlphaTheta (models OMNIS-DUO and XDJ-AZ), Denon DJ equipment, and Numark controllers; however, stem mixing remains unavailable for streamed content.

Streaming data

By May 2023, the track with the highest number of streams on Apple Music was "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran, having accumulated more than 930 million global plays. On August 28, 2024, Taylor Swift was recognized as the platform's most-favorited artist.

Apple Music Classical

Apple completed the acquisition of the classical music streaming service Primephonic on August 13, 2021, with the objective of creating a specialized classical music application, which was subsequently launched in 2023. The Apple Music Classical app made its debut on iOS on March 28, 2023; later became available on Android on May 30, 2023; and was released for iPad on November 16, 2023. This app is accessible in 161 countries spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and select regions of Africa and the Middle East.

Included within an Apple Music subscription, the app provides a customized interface that enables users to explore music by individual compositions, movements, composers, performers (including soloists, orchestras, ensembles, choirs, and conductors), historical periods, and instruments. It features composer biographies accompanied by specially commissioned portraits as well as curated playlists. Recordings are enhanced with spatial audio remastering, with at least one new spatial audio album introduced weekly.

On September 5, 2023, Apple broadened its classical music offerings by acquiring the label BIS Records, thereby enriching its catalogue and industry footprint. The application currently supports multiple languages including English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Dutch.

Apple Music Awards

# Year Global Artist Breakthrough Artist Songwriter(s) Album Song Regional Artist Ref.
1 2019 Billie Eilish Lizzo Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X — [1]
2 2020 Lil Baby Megan Thee Stallion Taylor Swift Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial by Roddy Ricch "The Box" by Roddy Ricch — [2]
3 2021 The Weeknd Olivia Rodrigo H.E.R. Sour by Olivia Rodrigo "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo Wizkid (Nigeria)
Aya Nakamura (France)
RIN (Germany)
Official Hige Dandism (Japan)
Scriptonite (Russia) 		[3]
4 2022 Bad Bunny — [4]
5 2023 Taylor Swift — [5]
6 2024 Billie Eilish — [6]
7 2025 Tyler, the Creator — [7]


Series

Series Broadcast year(s) Showrunner(s) Production collaborator(s) Original broadcaster Remarks
Past
We the Best TV 2016 DJ Khaled
Apple Music Connect Debuted on February 5, 2016, showcasing DJ Khaled and artists from his label. This reality series combined personal footage with interviews from the music industry. Simultaneously, the companion radio program We the Best Radio was broadcast on Beats 1.
The Score Shane Smith, Spike Jonze, Suroosh Alvi
Apple Music A six-episode documentary series that premiered on March 22, 2016, highlighting local music scenes worldwide. Each episode featured a curated playlist connected to the artists presented.
Planet of the Apps 2017 Charles Watcher, Craig Armstrong, Rick Ringbakk
Reality competition where app developers pitch their ideas to judges for funding from LSVP. The show premiered on June 6, 2017, received mixed critical reception, and was discontinued after one season.
Current
Up Next 2017–present Jimmy Iovine, Zane Lowe Apple Music Apple Music Dedicated to spotlighting emerging musicians by documenting their backgrounds and inspirations. Each season culminates with interviews and live performances known as Up Next Sessions. The series launched on August 16, 2017.
Carpool Karaoke: The Series Ben Winston, Eric Pankowski, James Corden
Based on the popular segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden, Apple secured global rights from CBS in 2016. Available exclusively to Apple Music subscribers, it premiered on August 9, 2017.

Feature films

Film title U.S. release date Director(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Studio(s)
The 1989 World Tour Live December 20, 2015 Jonas Åkerlund Violaine Etienne Scott Horan, Taylor Swift Apple Music, Dirty Hit
Beats 1 Presents: The 1975 February 25, 2016 Template:Center Apple Music, Beats 1, Dirty Hit
Please Forgive Me September 26, 2016 Anthony Mandler Anthony Mandler, Larry Jackson Larry Jackson, Kim Bradshaw Apple Music, Dirty Hit
Skepta: Live from London December 3, 2016 Template:Center Apple Music, Boy Better Know
808 December 9, 2016 Alexander Dunn Alexander Dunn, Luke Bainbridge Alexander Dunn, Arthur Baker, Craig Kallman, Alex Noyer Apple Music, Atlantic Films, You Know Films
Skepta: Greatness Only December 19, 2016 Matt Walker, Tom Knight Joseph Adenuga Joseph Adenuga, Julie Adenuga Apple Music, Boy Better Know
Process March 31, 2017 Kahlil Joseph Onye Anyanwu, Rik Green Apple Music, Pulse Films, Young Turks
Harry Styles: Behind the Album May 15, 2017 Template:Center Apple Music, Erskine Records
Ti Amo Speciale June 7, 2017 Warren Fu Jona Ward, Warren Fu Christian Mazzalai, Deck d'Arcy, Laurent Brancowitz, Thomas Mars Apple Music, Partizan Entertainment
Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story June 25, 2017 Template:Center Andre Harrell, Heather Parry, Sean Combs Apple Music, Live Nation Productions

|- | HAIM: Behind the Album || July 14, 2017 || colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" | Paul Dugdale || Apple Music, Pulse Films |- || Kygo: Stole the Show || July 26, 2017 || colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | Matt Mitchener || Devin Chanda, Kygo || Apple Music, Ultra Enterprises |- || Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives || October 3, 2017 || colspan=2 | Template:Center || Blake Everhart, David Diliberto, David Schulhof, Deborah Zipser, Mary Lisio, Michael Bernstein, Ridley Scott, Samantha Kerzner, Susan Ricketts || Apple Music, IM Global, Scott Free Productions |}


Reception

Upon its debut, Apple Music elicited a variety of responses from critics. The user interface was frequently described as lacking intuitiveness and was referred to as a "confusing and embarrassing mess," with additional concerns raised about its impact on battery performance. Nonetheless, the platform received commendation for its intelligent features and focus on human-curated content. Christina Warren of Mashable praised the curated radio stations and the personalized playlists found in the "For Me" section, considering it a refreshing approach to music streaming. Sam Machkovech from Ars Technica highlighted Apple's dedication to promoting unsigned artists via the Connect feature, viewing it as an effort to reclaim its status as a trendsetter in music discovery.

The substantial redesign introduced in iOS 10 was met with more favorable reviews. Caitlin McGarry of Macworld applauded Apple for streamlining navigation, emphasizing the user’s personal library, and incorporating algorithmically generated playlists comparable to those on Spotify. She regarded the overhaul as a notable enhancement that demonstrated Apple's attentiveness to user feedback. Conversely, Oscar Raymundo, another editor at Macworld, criticized the update for introducing greater complexity and reducing ease of use. Jordan Novet of VentureBeat commended the cleaner design and improved overall user experience.

In December 2017, musician Neil Young publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Apple Music’s audio fidelity, asserting that the service delivered merely 5 to 20 percent of the original master’s quality and lamented the absence of a high-fidelity streaming option. However, technical evaluations revealed that Apple Music streams at an industry-standard AAC bitrate of 256 kbit/s, which is perceived by some as slightly superior in quality compared to Spotify’s 320 kbit/s Ogg Vorbis streams.

iCloud matching technology controversy

The rollout of iCloud Music Library generated considerable user complaints, including incidents where songs were incorrectly assigned to albums, inaccurate album artwork was displayed, duplicate entries for artists and tracks appeared, some songs vanished entirely, and synchronization errors occurred. Users reported that Apple had not officially addressed these issues.

There were allegations from some users that iCloud Music Library deleted locally stored music files; however, other sources suggested these problems stemmed from user mistakes or interference from other software. Additionally, this feature reportedly replaced uploaded tracks with versions protected by digital rights management (DRM). In response, Apple enhanced the matching system in July 2016 by adopting "audio fingerprint" technology similar to that used by iTunes Match, which improved matching precision and eliminated DRM restrictions from downloaded matched tracks.

Album exclusives controversy

In August 2016, Frank Ocean independently released Blonde exclusively on Apple Music without involvement from his former label Def Jam Recordings. This release was said to have "sparked a music streaming war" and followed exclusive launches by artists such as Adele, Coldplay, Future, Drake, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Kanye West, intensifying competition among streaming platforms against market leader Spotify. Jonathan Prince, Spotify’s head of communications, stated that the company deliberately avoids paying for exclusives, viewing them as harmful to both artists and listeners. Two weeks later, Blonde became available on Spotify.

Ocean’s exclusive release on Apple Music triggered notable industry tensions, leading Universal Music Group to reportedly prohibit exclusive releases for its signed artists. Other major record labels soon adopted similar stances, indicating a strategic shift within the industry. According to label insiders, Spotify implemented policies that reduced promotional support for albums arriving late on its platform, including diminished placement in key playlists. In October 2016, Rolling Stone observed that after several high-profile exclusives by prominent artists, fans were compelled to subscribe to multiple services; however, resistance against this trend was mounting. For example, Lady Gaga threatened to leak her music if her label agreed to exclusivity deals with Apple Music or Tidal.

By May 2017, Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine acknowledged the declining appeal of exclusives within the industry, noting that record labels were increasingly hesitant to endorse such practices despite occasional artist-driven collaborations.

See also

External links

  • – official website
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