Say Hello to Apple Music…

Apple Music is announced at the June 8 Worldwide Developers Conference. The service will cost $9.99 a month with the first three months offered for free. “Apple has been a singular force in the digital evolution of music,” said Warner Music Group CEO Steve Cooper in a statement. “The launch of its subscription service is a milestone moment for our industry. Right now, accelerating the global proliferation of paying subscribers is one of our most important goals, and Apple’s massive resources and huge customer base will make it a powerful player in turbocharging that growth. The increased competition in this space is also a big positive, and will help unlock as much value as possible for our artists and songwriters.”
Across the pond, BPI and BRIT Awards Chief Executive Geoff Taylor responded to the announcement by saying that Apple’s new entry ‘is sure to give the streaming market, which doubled last year in the UK, a further turbo boost. And most important, it is likely to deliver a fantastic experience for music fans, helping to drive consumer awareness and appreciation of premium music subscription as something that enhances your life. That will help to build value for the whole music industry long term.”

Competing streaming service Rdio issued a statement on the announcement, writing: “Welcome, Apple. Seriously. Welcome to the most exciting and important frontier since the digital music revolution began 16 years ago. We look forward to responsible competition in the massive effort to make music available legally for anyone to enjoy anytime, anywhere.”

Source: Billboard