Beats 1 may not be the only live radio station on Apple Music for long, reports The Verge. Citing sources with knowledge of the agreement, the outlet says that Apple’s current music licensing contracts include permissions for up to five additional Beats radio stations.
“As part of the deal it struck with the major labels for Apple Music Radio,” says The Verge’s Micah Singleton, “Apple has licenses for up to five additional stations like Beats 1.” So it could essentially create a lineup of 6 radio stations without needing to renegotiate.
Apple could use these additional stations for a variety of reasons. For one, it could setup a Beats 2 station headquartered in Australia or Asia, allowing it to provide [truly] live radio 24/7. It could also create genre-specific stations, or introduce a news or sports channel.
Singleton’s sources also provided additional commentary on Apple Music, noting that labels are “pleased” with its progress so far and iTunes downloads haven’t taken a significant hit yet. They are, however, reserving excitement until the initial 3-month trial period ends.
It’s believed that Apple Music has picked up over 10 million subscribers thus far, and Apple has said itself that “millions of users” are tuning into Beats 1.
Source: The Verge