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Apple is quietly killing off Apple Music's Connect social features
Apple Music Connect appears as though it's on its way out. Apple has started to notify artists that they will no longer have the ability to post content to the social network-style service build into Apple's streaming music platform, according to 9to5Mac. Previously shared posts are also being removed from the "For You" section and artists pages hosted in Apple Music. For the time being, posts will still appear in search results within the app, but those will be removed come May.
Apple Music will finally support Android tablets
There probably isn't a huge cross section of people who both subscribe to Apple Music and use Android tablets, but Apple has your back if you're part of that group. Listeners have learned that the latest beta of Apple Music for Android now includes tablet support, giving you an optimized and more intuitive interface for choosing tunes. Part of it stems from changes to the interface for all Android users -- Apple is ditching the classic "hamburger" menu in favor of a bottom navigation bar that both speeds up access to common features (like For You) and should be easier to reach on larger screens.
Apple Music will reveal key Grammy nominations on December 7th
Apple's involvement in the Grammys dates back more than a decade. This year, however, its connection will be more conspicuous. The Recording Academy has revealed that Apple Music will stream Grammy nominations in "select categories" (read: the better-known ones) on December 7th at 8:30AM Eastern, right alongside their revelation on CBS This Morning. This doesn't give you much lead time versus reading the full list on the Grammy.com website, which will have everything at 8:45AM. Still it's convenient if you just have to find out whether your favorite artist made the list.
Apple Music will work on Echo speakers starting December 17th
Amazon is pretty platform-agnostic when it comes to music. Its Echo speakers obviously work with Amazon Music as well as Spotify, Pandora, IHeartRadio and a number of other options. Starting on December 17th, Echo owners will have another option: Apple Music. The second-biggest streaming service in the US will work with Alexa, with users able to request songs, albums, artists, radio stations and playlists from Apple Music.
Apple could bring Beats 1 to broadcast radio
Apple could be set to invest in iHeartMedia, and may bring its Beats 1 station to the broadcast network as part of a deal. Discussions are in the early stages, The Financial Times reports.
SoundCloud brings high quality streaming to Go+ subscribers
SoundCloud is giving its Go+ subscribers access to better audio while streaming. The top tier service from the company now offers a high quality streaming option, meaning that, whenever content is uploaded in a lossless or high bitrate format, subscribers will be able to stream that audio at 256kbps AAC. Just head to your SoundCloud settings and adjust your selection under "Streaming quality" to opt in.
Winamp plans a streaming-friendly revival in 2019
Winamp, a relic from the Wild West days of digital music, not only still exists but has a major update on the way for next year. Parent company Radionomy is planning to reboot the service as an all-in-one app that pulls podcasts, playlists, streaming radio stations—basically any sound you can fill your ears with—into a single platform. According to TechCrunch, the update is due out in 2019.
Apple Music teams up with Genius to add lyrics to its service
Apple Music has teamed up with Genius, a well-known compendium of song lyrics and musical knowledge, to provide lyrics for thousands of streamable songs on the service. That way, you don't have to look up the lyrics to the latest hit song you've been listening to on repeat recently. If you fire up Genius' iOS app or visit its website on desktop or mobile, though, you'll find that the partnership works both ways: the lyrics platform now has an embedded Apple Music player.
Apple Music on Android Auto is available to everyone
For those who'd rather diversify than remain loyal to one platform or brand, cross-platform support is a godsend. Apple Music, for instance, has finally rolled out an update that adds support for Android Auto, giving non-iPhone users a native in-car interface for the service. Cupertino first revealed the compatibility when it released a beta version of the music streaming service with Android Auto support back in August, but it was only available for those who sign up to be part of the app's beta testers.
Bikini Kill's riot grrl punk is available to stream for the first time
Prince, The Beatles and other well-known artists gave into the siren's call of streaming music years ago, but not Bikini Kill -- you still had to get the iconic riot grrl group's music the old-fashioned way. Until now, that is. The feminist punk group has posted its small but influential catalog on streaming services, including Apple Music, Spotify and Tidal. Why now? If you ask singer Kathleen Hanna, it's about accessibility.
Apple Music adds global and regional top 100 charts
Apple is adding a new feature to its music streaming service today -- charts of Apple Music's top-streamed songs. Rolling Stone reports that the company now has 116 "top 100" charts, which include one global chart and one for every country in which the service is currently available. They're rolling out to users through a software update today.
Apple Music will soon work with Android Auto
Apple Music has been available for Android for most of the service's existence, but it doesn't exactly reach deep into the Android ecosystem. You can listen on your phone or tablet, and that's about it. Apple is opening up ever so slightly, though. The latest beta version of Apple Music for Android includes support for Android Auto, bringing a native in-car interface to non-iPhone users for the first time. You won't be browsing the "For You" section from your infotainment screen, but the playback controls you do get are easier and safer than reaching for your phone.
Prince's 1995-2010 catalog is streaming for the first time
More of Prince's music has been gradually making its way online since his passing, and that now includes a large chunk of his later catalog. Sony Music's Legacy Recordings has released 23 (!) of the late, great musician's albums on major streaming and download services for the first time, in addition to a new Prince Anthology: 1995-2010 collection that highlights songs from the period. Many of the albums are either rare or completely out of print, so this may be your only (legal) way to listen to Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic or Musicology without tracking down the CDs... assuming you still have devices that play CDs.
Apple Music's latest visual album is a full-length opera
Apple Music has added a new visual album, and it's one classical music fans would love. Cupertino has teamed up with Deutsche Grammophon, one of the biggest classical music labels, to launch a curated channel that highlights the company's best recordings. One of the portal's first offerings is the 2008 Salzburg Festival staging of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette featuring star tenor Rolando Villazón -- and, yes, the service is making the full-length performance available as a 32-track visual album. You can watch them all at once or just choose parts to play if you can only stomach specific arias. Apple Music has other visual albums you can stream, most notably, Frank Ocean's Endless, but this is the first time the platform is offering a full-length opera in the format.
Verizon bundles Unlimited plans with six months of Apple Music
Verizon has added a new perk to its unlimited plans, and it's thankfully a straightforward one that won't make the carrier's rather complex choices and tiers even more confusing. Starting on August 16th, you'll get six months of free access to Apple Music with an unlimited plan. Even better, it doesn't sound like an add-on simply meant to attract new subscribers, because you can sign up for the freebie whether you apply for a new unlimited line or whether you already have one.
Apple Music's 'Friends Mix' is a playlist of your pals' top tunes
Apple is giving your friends the keys to your Music account. Okay, not really, but every Monday, it'll compile 25 songs your friends are listening to into a playlist dubbed, you guessed it, "Friends Mix." 9to5Mac notes that this doesn't seem to be tied to a specific iOS update. From the sounds of it, the new trick relies heavily on the social features (seeing your friends' listening history, specifically) announced last June. Of course, this isn't the only playlist feature Apple Music has going for it. There's also "My Chill Mix" and the weekly new release mix. Editorial and personalized playlists have been Spotify's bread and butter for awhile, and Apple Music is keen to take a few notes from its competitor. The feature is currently in a staggered rollout so, if you don't see the mix pop up in your For You section, or Siri doesn't respond when you ask it to play the mix, just be patient. Welcome to the social.
iHeartRadio adds Spotify-like personalized playlists
iHeartRadio announced today that it's adding a new playlist for users to stream -- a weekly updated selection of tunes based on what you listen to. Your Weekly Mixtape will be refreshed every Monday and will include 30 to 75 songs chosen for you based on the stations and artists you listen to and the tracks you give a thumbs up. It sounds an awful lot like Spotify's Discover Weekly, even down to the day it's released. But iHeartRadio's chief product officer, Chris Williams, told CNET that there is a difference between the two.
Apple Music documentary chronicles the making of Kesha's ‘Rainbow’
Next month will mark the one-year anniversary of the release of Kesha's Rainbow, an album that confronts deep pain, features "spine-shivering feats" as Billboard noted and includes what Rolling Stone called the "best music of her career." On August 10th, Apple Music will celebrate the album and the woman behind it with a documentary about Kesha and the making of Rainbow. Rainbow - The Film includes never-before-seen footage of Kesha performances, the writing and recording of Rainbow and "psychedelic vignettes" that depict the artist's struggles and inner demons.
AirPlay 2 makes Sonos the best audio option for most iPhone owners
For a long time, Sonos was only capable of streaming music to its speakers through a proprietary app, but that's changed in the last few years. After working with music services like Spotify and Pandora, users can stay in those apps and stream music straight to your Sonos setup. That hasn't been the case if you're an Apple Music user, until now: as of today, Sonos supports Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol. After spending a week or so testing out a beta version of the software, I can say that pretty much all Sonos owners who use iOS devices will get a lot out of this update.
Apple Music reportedly has more US subscribers than Spotify
Thanks to a Wall Street Journal report in February, we knew Apple Music was poised to overtake Spotify in terms of US subscribers this summer. Well, it reportedly has happened. According to sources from Digital Music News, Apple's streaming service now has more than 20 million paying users in the States. The report claims that Spotify also has in excess of 20 million paying customers in the US, but Apple is now in the lead. DBN didn't mention specific numbers, but says its source is a "US-based, major [music] distributor."
