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Tag: iTunes Radio

  • Beats Music CEO Ian Rogers Will Reportedly Run iTunes Radio

    As you may know, Apple has officially completed its acquisition of Beats after winning regulatory approval earlier this week.

    The Wall Street Journal is now reporting, citing people familiar with the matter, that Beats Music CEO Ian Rogers will oversee iTunes Radio. The report says:

    Rogers, a former Yahoo executive, will run both teams to create cohesion in Apple’s streaming-music options, according to the people familiar with the matter. Pandora and Spotify, the two-biggest streaming music services, each offer both a free ad-supported service and a subscription-based service.

    Earlier today, Apple welcomed Beats to the family with a message on its website:

    Today we are excited to officially welcome Beats Music and Beats Electronics to the Apple family. Music has always held a special place in our hearts, and we’re thrilled to join forces with a group of people who love it as much as we do. Beats cofounders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre have created beautiful products that have helped millions of people deepen their connection to music. We’re delighted to be working with the team to elevate that experience even further.

    On the Beats by Dre site, a message said:

    Musicians rely on their instruments to give structure and form to their imagination. At the dawn of digital recording, the Macintosh computer was the instrument of choice. At the beginning of portable digital music, the iPod placed the library of the world’s music in your pocket. The iPhone became not only an instrument for music but also the center of your connected life. The iPad extended this capability with a user interface and apps that allowed you to compose a symphony on the subway. Starting today, we at Beats are fortunate to add our instrument to this legacy by joining Apple. The products we build together will allow us to reimagine sound once again and to continue this great tradition of bringing imagination to life.

    The acquisition cost Apple $3 billion. The company is reported to be cutting 200 Beats jobs, but says it will try to find those people other positions within Apple.

    Image via Apple

  • Rick Ross Streams New Album ‘Mastermind’ On iTunes Radio

    The big ‘bawse’ Rick Ross is back again! The Good Forgives, I Don’t rapper offered up a surprise for his fans yesterday.

    On Tues. Feb. 25, Ross announced that his new album Mastermind began streaming on iTunes Radio. The announcement comes a full week before the album’s official release date.

    According to UPI, Ross announced his sixth studio album well over a year ago. However, due to a number of setbacks the album has been postponed numerous times, with “false-start release dates” ever since that initial announcement. Preliminary production and planning for the album began some time in 2012.

    The first promotional single “Box Chevy” was actually released on February 15, 2013. Back in October, the “BMF” rapper stated that the album was scheduled to be released sometime in December of 2013, only to be pushed back until March.

    Ross, who has been described as “cunning and calculating” has explained that all details for the production of the album were strategic and deliberate. The 38-year-old rapper also expressed that the feeling of the album is “definitely soulful.” In January, he released a cinematic trailer in reference to the upcoming album. He tweeted a link to the trailer, which was officially released via World Star Hip Hop.

    The two-minute, 45-second trailer kicked off with a series of notable soul records including Curtis Mayfield’s “Super Fly” and “Give Me Your Love (Love Song),” which serves as an example of the rapper’s soulful, signature sound.

    “This album, I most definitely tapped into the Curtis Mayfield of soul,” he told MTV News correspondent Sway last year. “I actually just got off the phone with Bobby Womack less than an hour ago. He’s one of my favorites. … We just spoke on it, so we got a little connecting to do, but it’s feeling good.”

    “I wanted to make that clear for the ones that paid attention that that’s most definitely my vibe,” the Self-Made rapper said.

    The 16-track album features appearances from Jay-Z, Jeezy, Kanye West, Big Sean, Diddy, French Montana, Meek Mill, Lil Wayne, Sizzla, Movado, and The Weeknd. Mastermind boasts production from notable rap producers like the “Bands a Make Her Dance” beat-maker Mike WiLL Made It, Scott Storch, “All the Way Turnt Up” producer K.E. On the Track, and the “Maybach Music” production squad J.U.S.T.I.C.E League.

    Mastermind drops on Tuesday, March 4. The album, which is also executively produced by Diddy, will be released under Ross’ own label, Maybach Music Group.

    Image via Facebook, Rick Ross and Triple C’s

  • Apple’s iTunes Radio Now Out in Australia

    Apple today announced that iTunes Radio is officially out in Australia. Australian music fans who are also Apple iOS device owners can now use the software on their mobile device or through iTunes on PC or Mac.

    iTunes Radio was launched first in North America back in September. The service remains free and ad-supported in Australia.

    Apple unveiled iTunes Radio last summer as part of its Worldwide Developers Conference presentation. The software is Apple’s entry into the streaming music market and is positioned to compete with services such as Pandora, Spotify, and the new Beats Music.

    Through iTunes Radio users can access over 100 featured streaming music stations curated by Apple. In addition, iTunes Radio streams certain “iTunes Sessions” (like the iTunes Festival) for free. Apple promises that the service will also sometimes host exclusive single debuts or pre-release album streams for various artists.

    Like other streaming music solutions, iTunes Radio also provides personalized streaming stations as well based on past listening preferences. Apple’s personalization also takes into account any music stored in iCloud through Apple’s iTunes Match subscription service. iTunes Match subscribers also get iTunes Radio ad-free, without advertisements played on streaming stations. The iTunes Match service costs AUS$35 per year in Australia.

    Image via Apple

  • Apple Event: The Latest iPhone Numbers

    Apple today held its hotly anticipated iPad announcement event. However, before Apple engineers took to the stage to debut the latest hardware and software from the world’s biggest tech company, Apple CEO Tim Cook took to the stage, as always, to begin the presentation with some statistics highlighting just how successful Apple is.

    The first number thrown out was that 9 million iPhones were sold by the end of the devices’ first weekend available. Cook wasn’t clear on exactly which weekend this was, but it does seem obvious that both iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C sales were included in this number.

    The next number highlighted by Cook was that 64% of iPhone and iPad users are now using iOS 7. He also claimed that 200 million iOS devices were using the new operating system within five days of its official launch.

    “It blows away the other guys,” said Tim Cook, taking a stab at the heavily split Android OS adoption.

    Cook went on to dig deep for his next number, using his time to promote the iTunes Radio. He claimed that the service boasts 20 million “listeners” and that over 1 billion song have been played through the service.

    iTunes Radio is dwarfed, however, by the continued success of the Apple App Store. Apple’s carefully curated app marketplace now boasts over 1 million apps, and users have made 60 billion “cumulative downloads,” though what that means specifically isn’t clear. What is clear is that money is flowing through the App Store, with Cook claiming that developers have made over $13 billion through the marketplace. This translates into several billion dollars for Apple through its cut of app purchases.

  • iTunes Radio Release Date Is Officially September 18th

    As one of many announcements today, Apple revealed that iTunes Radio will be available on September 18th as part of the iOS 7 update.

    Apple revealed iTunes Radio back in June when it revealed iOS 7, and it has been expected to be part of the update, but at the time, they just said it would be available in the fall. Now we have a hard date for both the operating system and Apple’s new Pandora competitor.

    We learned last month that launch partners would include McDonald’s, Nissan, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble and possibly a couple others. The deals range from “the high single-digit millions of dollars to tens of millions of dollars, and include a 12 month ad campaign,” according to a report from AdAge.

    iTunes Radio will debut with over 200 stations and a catalog of music drawing from the iTunes Store. People can listen to stations, then download the songs if they like them. It can be used from an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, PC or Apple TV. It will include stations inspired by music users have already listened to, as well as stations curated by Apple and personalized genre-focused stations. Users will be able to create new stations based on specific songs.

    The service will also provide exclusive premieres from top-selling artists, and will host special events like live streams from the iTunes Festival and other exclusive iTunes sessions. It will be integrated with Siri. You’ll be able to give it commands like “play more like this” or “play jazz radio” or ask who plays a particular song.

    iTunes is free, with the ads. iTunes Match users will get the service without them.

    Apple also revealed the iPhone 5S and 5C devices today.

    Image: Apple

  • iTunes Radio Will Reportedly Be Available Next Month

    Apple finally unveiled iTunes Radio back at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June after months (if not years) of rumors that the company would launch such a service. At the time, Apple did not give a release date, but said it would be generally available this fall.

    We’re getting closer. We still don’t have an official date, but a report out from AdAge says it’s coming in September, citing people familiar with advertiser negotiations. Launch partners, the report says, will include McDonald’s, Nissan, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble and possibly a couple others. The deals range from “the high single-digit millions of dollars to tens of millions of dollars, and include a 12 month ad campaign,” it says.

    Apple will hold an event on September 10th, when the next iPhone (or iPhones) is expected to be revealed. It’s likely that iTunes Radio’s launch will also be announced.

    iTunes Radio will debut with over 200 stations and a catalog of music drawing from the iTunes Store. People can listen to stations, then download the songs if they like them. It can be used from an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, PC or Apple TV. It will include stations inspired by music users have already listened to, as well as stations curated by Apple and personalized genre-focused stations. Users will be able to create new stations based on specific songs.

    The service will also provide exclusive premieres from top-selling artists, and will host special events like live streams from the iTunes Festival and other exclusive iTunes sessions.

    It will also be integrated with Siri. You’ll be able to give it commands like “play more like this” or “play jazz radio” or ask who plays a particular song.

    The service is free, hence the ads. iTunes Match users will get the service with them.

  • Apple Unveils iTunes Radio, Which Comes Out This Fall

    At the Worldwide Developers Conference today, Apple finally announced the rumored iTunes Radio. It will be generally available this fall.

    It’s a free radio service with over 200 stations, and a catalog of music drawing from the iTunes Store. People can listen to stations, then download songs if they they like them.

    You will be able to use iTunes Radio from an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, PC or Apple TV. It will include stations inspired by stuff you’ve already listened to, as well as stations curated by Apple and personalized genre-focused stations. You will also be able to create stations based on specific songs.

    “The more you use iTunes Radio and iTunes, the more it knows what you like to listen to and the more personalized your experience becomes,” the company explains.

    “iTunes Radio is an incredible way to listen to personalized radio stations which have been created just for you,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “It’s the music you love most and the music you’re going to love, and you can easily buy it from the iTunes Store with just one click.”

    As an added bonus, it will give you exclusive premieres from top-selling artists. It will also host special events like live streams from the iTunes Festival and other exclusive iTunes sessions.

    And of course, it includes Siri integration (Siri has some new features of its own).

    Apple explains, “Let Siri make your listening experience even more fun. Ask Siri ‘Who plays that song?’ or ‘Play more like this’ and Siri will make it happen. Say something like ‘Play Jazz Radio’ or ask for any of your existing favorite stations and genres. Shape your stations by telling Siri what you like and don’t like, or tell Siri to pause, stop or skip. You can also have Siri add songs to your Wish List to download later.”

    iTunes Radio is ad-supported and free. If you’re an iTunes Match user, you’ll get it for free without the ads.