Apple’s version of “Carpool Karaoke”, based on the viral segment of “The Late Late Show” with James Corden, will premiere on Apple Music next Tuesday so the company released new teaser videos today to drum up excitement around the show's debut.
Looking to diversify its offerings beyond songs, Apple Music rival Spotify will promote podcasts from established producers in its mobile app and via ads on buses.
If you signed up for Apple Music on your iPhone or iPad but also want to enjoy the service on your Mac, you might be up for a surprise when you launch iTunes and realize Apple Music is not showing up.
This could just be a bug, or maybe just a box that hasn't been checked. Regardless of the cause, we will show you how to turn on Apple Music in iTunes on your Mac.
Do you use Apple Music on a regular basis and foresee continuing to do so? Are you paying your membership month-to-month? If so, how would you like to get full twelve months of uninterrupted Apple Music experience for the price of ten?
Music platform SoundCloud said today it would cut about forty percent of its workforce, or 173 staffers, a move that highlighted the German company's inability to create a stable business model on top of its large audience of 175 million listeners.
In January, SoundCloud said it was at risk of running out of money while a subscription tier launched last year hasn’t been as successful as the company's executives hoped.
Offices in San Francisco and London will be shut as SoundCloud will consolidate operations at its headquarters in Berlin and another office in New York. The cost-cutting move should put it on a path to profitability and allow it to better compete against larger rivals Apple and Spotify.
“We need to ensure our path to long-term, independent success,” said SoundCloud co-founder and CEO Alex Ljung. “And in order to do this, it requires cost cutting, continued growth of our existing advertising and subscription revenue streams and a relentless focus on our unique competitive advantage—artists and creators.”
He said SoundCloud has doubled its revenue over the past 12 months.
SoundCloud is the popular destination for sharing independent recordings, mixes, podcasts and other user-generated audio content. Even established stars post material to the site before it’s released elsewhere while record labels use it to scout new talent.
SoundCloud is available in 190+ countries and has an excellent iPhone and iPad app. A recent report in the New York Post alleged that Apple was among those looking to acquire the firm.
Apple said at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5 that its music-streaming service had 27 million paying customers. Spotify announced around the same time that it had a total of 140 million users, of which 50 million were paid subscribers.
Apple has partnered with American manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers Fender for curated guitar playlists on Apple Music. Fender has now joined the more than sixty curators providing unique playlists to Apple Music members.
As first noted by AppleInsider, Fender's playlists are wide-ranging, spanning music from classic rock icons to emerging artists to experimental guitar works.
Fender CMO Evan Jones said in a press release:
We're pleased to partner with Apple to bring a Fender-curated music experience to long-time Fender fans and those just discovering the brand. These five new playlists honor a diverse range of iconic artists and visionaries, and an emerging generation of artists, who are driving guitar and music forward.
The following playlists from Fender are available on Apple Music:
Roots, Rock & Twang—A Mix: New sounds blending Americana, Country and Rock, featuring Chris Stapleton, Nikki Lane, Jaime Wyatt and more. Shuffle—Today's Hits: Plug in to set the tone for your day with the latest from Years & Years, Cold War Kids, Radiohead and more. Best of the Rock You Need to Know: From Gary Clark Jr. to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Cold War Kids, press play on this list of rock and bluesy tracks to energize your day. We've got guitar heroes and visionaries that are set to inspire, in addition to plenty of hidden gems from artists that you need on your radar now. Best of Everything Acoustic: Celebrating the accosting guitar, whether it's featured in favorite solo ballads or roaring with the rest of the band. Best of Under the Radar: Become an early listener of some up and coming Fender favorites who are pushing sonic boundaries.According to Fender, its guitar lessons app for iPhone and iPad as well as the Fender Play web app can teach users to play their first song in minutes, as Engadget reported today.
These apps put the “songs you love, world-class instructors and bite-sized lessons from the most trusted brand in guitars” at your fingertips.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6ada1kvgEw
As Apple Music recently celebrated its second anniversary, the service is still heavily focused on promoting rap and hip-hop music, with its Beats 1 24/7 global Internet radio station almost exclusively focused on the genre.
However, Apple filed trademark applications for “Beats 2”, “Beats 3”, “Beats 4” and “Beats 5”, indicating the company is likely going to introduce additional Beats radio stations potentially focused on other musical genres.
The Verge said in August 2015 that Apple’s licensing contracts with rights holders include permissions for up to five additional Beats stations.
As promised back in April, the hip-hop documentary “Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story” has made its exclusive debut on Apple's music-stremaing service.
Directed by Daniel Kaufman and available for streaming to all Apple Music members, the documentary chronicles the precipitous rise of Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy and his record label in the mid-90s to the top of the music business.
To watch the documentary, fire up the Music app on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, then enter the Browse section and tap TV & Movies and find the movie listed there.
Jimmy Iovine, Apple Music chairman and CEO, said:
I went to the Bad Boy Reuion concert and thought it was incredible. I think Puff and Bad Boy’s story is incredible and one that a lot of people can relate to in any genre or in any business. His story is powerful. He really overcame a lot to get to where he’s at today and the documentary shows that.
Here's Apple Music's official blurb:
In 1993, Sean "Diddy Combs, a.k.a. Puff Daddy, founded Bad Boy Records and changed popular culture forever. In 2016, the Bad Boy Family reunited in Brooklyn, New York for the biggest homecoming in hip-hop history. Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story explores the passion and personalities behind the empire, and goes inside the making of a movement and the staging of an unprecedented musical event.
This is an intern-to-CEO story -- a raw behind-the-scenes look at the legacy of Bad Boy through a complex portrait of its mastermind as Combs reunites the Family over a frantic three-week rehearsal period. The film traces the label's emergence in Harlem and Brooklyn, follows its meteoric rise, reflects on the tragic killing of Biggie Smalls, and celebrates Bad Boy's influence -- all while reveling the love and commitment that binds every member of the Family together.
The film covers the trials and tribulations that Combs faced in putting together last year’s 20th anniversary Bad Boy reunion shows in two weeks time, with artists who hadn’t performed in years. Apple Music will have the exclusive rights to the documentary for at least the next year.
Apple is looking to reduce record label's share of revenue from streaming, reports Bloomberg. Citing people familiar with the matter, the outlet says the negotiations are part of a larger plan to revise the company's overall relationship with the music industry.
The record labels's current deals regarding Apple Music expire at the end of June, although they are likely to be extended if new terms can't be reached. Apple is trying to negotiate new deals that would bring their rates closer to what Spotify pays out.
Under Apple’s current deal, record labels at first received about 58 percent of revenue from Apple Music subscribers, a higher cut than from other major streaming services including Spotify, the largest paid music-streaming service in the world. Spotify reduced its rate to 52 percent from 55 percent in recent negotiations with labels, tied to certain guarantees on subscriber growth. The labels are open to a reduction in Apple’s rate -- provided it’s also able to expand subscriber rolls and meet other requirements, the people said.
Initially, Apple overpaid a bit to appease the labels, who were concerned its entry into the streaming space would cannibalize iTunes sales—a major source of their revenue. But as it turns out, Apple Music hasn't been as damaging to iTunes as originally feared.
Bloomberg adds that labels have asked Apple to commit to promoting iTunes, and music in general, in countries where streaming isn't as prevalent. Apple announced earlier this month that Apple Music now has 27 million paid subscribers.
Source: Bloomberg
It appears Apple has quietly added a new annual subscription option for its Apple Music service. TechCrunch points to the new plan, which costs just $99 for 12-months of access to the 20 million+ track library and loads of exclusive content.
This is good for a $20 savings over the standard $9.99/month plan, but Apple doesn't make it easy to find. You have to go into iTunes or the App Store and tap on Apple ID > Subscriptions > Apple Music. It also looks like the price is only available to current users.
Of course Apple has long offered 12-month Apple Music gift cards for $99, and the $4.99/month student plan is still the cheapest. Apple Music offers on-demand access to all of your favorite songs, albums, custom playlists, exclusive videos and much more.
Source: TechCrunch
Have you ever tried to play a music collection or playlist from your iPhone or iPad only to find that some of the music wouldn’t be appropriate for the current circumstances?
A new free jailbreak tweak dubbed SkipME by iOS developer candoizo lets you filter certain music from your listening experience to tune your entertainment for certain moods or for sensitive audiences.
The inaugural episode of “Planet of the Apps”, Apple's original show about apps and their creators, is premiering tonight at 9PM Pacific Time, midnight Eastern Time on Apple Music. Apple today released a new trailer for ”Planet of the Apps” on its official YouTube channel.
The show will be streamed free to all Apple Music members, Reuters reported Wednesday.
“The question when you have ideas is how to take those to fruition,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Internet software and Services. “Sometimes you may not know how, you might be afraid of what’s involved. This really shows how that’s possible.”
Apple will promote the show on its homepage, in iTunes and elsewhere.
“All of our customers are going to be exposed to this in one way or another,” Cue said.
The first episode is also available free for a limited time via planetoftheapps.com. Apple encourages customers to join Apple Music to get new episodes every Tuesday.
Here's the trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDEvJXpjQHM
From the video's description:
Apple Music presents Planet of the Apps, a groundbreaking new series that gives aspiring app creators the opportunity of a lifetime to work with entrepreneur advisors Jessica Alba, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Will.i.am.
Under the close guidance of one advisor mentor, each concept goes through an intense incubation period—all in preparation for a real-life, high-stakes pitch to Lightspeed Venture Partners. Will they get funding or will they flounder?
Everything is on the line for these app creators and their million dollar ideas.
As mentioned, the first episode is available free for a limited time via the official website.
Apple is taking a new responsibility in the world of delivering music to your home by unveiling the HomePod, a new wireless speaker and assistant for your house.
This intelligent new wireless speaker uses similar technology to what’s available in the AirPods, except it’s incredibly more advanced on both the software and hardware ends of things.