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The best smart speakers for music fans
If you're a music fan, the first wave of smart speakers was probably a disappointment. While Alexa and Google Assistant have definitively proven they have a place in the home, the first Echo and Google Home devices were unimpressive when it came to actually playing music. They did the job in a pinch, and being able to command Spotify with your voice is a killer feature, but many longed for better-quality audio. Fortunately, that call has been answered. In the past six months, Sonos, Google and Apple have all released music-first speakers with voice assistants built in. There's no doubt that the Google Home Max, Alexa-powered Sonos One and Apple HomePod all sound far better than just about any other voice-powered speakers out there. If you value audio quality above all else (and have about $400 to spend), what's the right smart speaker for you? Let's break it down.
Apple Music student discounts come to 82 new regions
Apple has increased the number of markets where students can grab a discount on their Apple Music subscription. As iMore's Rene Ritchie notes, the deal is being offered in 82 new regions — 79 now and a further three on February 26th — including Israel, Poland, Portugal and the Philippines. Pricing varies by country, but as a general rule students get half-off (in the US, for instance, it's $4.99 instead of $9.99 per month.) Apple uses UniDAYS to verify the listener has enrolled at a college or university, and will periodically check their status while the four-year discount applies.
Nike will reward your workouts with shoes and Apple Music playlists
Nike is gamifying fitness even further with its new reward system for the Nike Plus app. These range from unlocking curated playlists on Apple Music, guided meditation exercises on Headspace, Class Pass credits or maybe even a custom t-shirt for your efforts.
Apple Music could overtake Spotify in the US this summer
Spotify's lead in paid music streaming might not be as impregnable as it looks. The Wall Street Journal has obtained industry figures suggesting that Apple Music is growing faster than Spotify in the US, adding 5 percent to its base every month versus 'just' 2 percent for Spotify. If that rate continues, Apple could surpass its rival in the country during the summer. There are other numbers to suggest Apple is catching up, for that matter.
Apple's HomePod speaker needs an iOS device to work
If you were hoping to use the HomePod as a regular Bluetooth speaker, forget about that. Apple has revealed more about the wireless capability and audio sources for its Siri-powered device, and while it has the necessary hardware for Bluetooth streaming, currently it only supports third-party services through Apple's proprietary AirPlay protocol. As was expected, that pretty much eliminates Android and other devices as sources, even if you're running Apple Music, making the HomePod a product strictly for Apple device owners.
Apple Music adds exclusive DJ mixes from Steve Aoki and more
Spotify and Apple Music partnered up with Dubset, a rights-management and distribution platform for DJs and remixers, a couple of years ago. Sony Music and independent record company Merlin also partnered with the company to make sure samples in remixed songs are monetized, as well. Dubset's MixBANK system makes sure both artists being sampled and those creating mixes get the royalties they deserve. Now, the company is bringing hundreds of DJ mixes to Apple Music, with three exclusive DJ sets from Steve Aoki, Sigala and DJ Suss One.
Drake breaks single-day streaming records on Apple Music and Spotify (updated)
Poor Tay Tay. The queen of pop music has just been deposed on the streaming service she fought with most by none other than Drake himself. According to Pitchfork, the artist's latest song, "God's Plan" now holds the title for the most streams in a single day ever.
Jimmy Iovine denies reports he will leave Apple in August
Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine has squashed rumors that he's leaving his post as Apple Music chief -- and leaving Cupertino altogether -- in August. At a Q&A event held to promote The Defiant Ones, the HBO documentary delving into his partnership with Dr. Dre, he announced that there's still more he'd like to achieve in the streaming biz. "I am committed to doing whatever Eddy [Cue], Tim [Cook] and Apple need me to do, to help wherever and however I can, to take this all the way," he said, contradicting Bloomberg's report that he hasn't been getting along with services chief Eddy Cue.
Tidal’s free 12-day trial comes with new content each day
Starting on Christmas, Tidal will begin a 12-day free trial period that's a little different than a typical trial. Tidal already has a 30-day free trial for its regular and HiFi tier, but this one doesn't require you to put in a credit card first or, therefore, make sure you cancel before it ends if you decide you don't want to continue. Additionally, each day of the trial, Tidal will be releasing new, exclusive content.
The best subscriptions and gift cards to buy as (last-minute) gifts
Need a last-minute gift? No one will argue if you buy them a gift card to a streaming service. Included in our holiday gift guide are all the usual suspects: Apple Music, Amazon Prime, Netflix in UHD, Hulu, Sling TV and HBO Now. (And there were many others that we considered that didn't quite make the cut, but that still make for solid options.) Assuming you order soon, you also still have time to pick up a streamer with which your loved one can actually enjoy these services. We recommend two in particular: the Apple TV 4K at the high end, and the Roku Ultra in the $100 range.
Apple Music's next exclusives come from Noel Gallagher and Sam Smith
Apple isn't slowing down on exclusives any time soon. It's releasing Apple Music-only concert films from two British superstars, Noel Gallagher and Sam Smith. Gallagher's Who Built the Moon Live recaptures an early November gig at London's York Hall, where he played both cuts from his new album as well as the near-obligatory Oasis hits. Smith's The Thrill of It All Live, meanwhile, relives an "intimate" London gig that delved into both his own catalog as well as guest spots on tracks from the likes of Disclosure.
Apple Music’s Major Lazer documentary is streaming now
A new music documentary begins streaming today on Apple Music. Give Me Future chronicles Major Lazer's 2016 concert in Havana, Cuba -- the first to be put on by major American artists since the US restored diplomatic ties to the country in 2015. The group, made up of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Jillionaire, performed for 400,000 people in the country's capital, the planning for which and the performance were documented by director Austin Peters.
Apple lands TV drama from Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon
Apple's commitment to big-name original shows may go well, well beyond its Steven Spielberg anthology. Both Deadline and Recode sources have heard that Apple has secured the rights to a drama series created by and starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. There aren't too many details about the show, but it's expected to focus on life behind the scenes at a daily morning TV show. Brian Stelter's book Top of the Morning will reportedly provide background material, with Stelter himselve acting as a consultant.
Apple Watch Series 3 can stream up to seven hours of music over LTE
Yesterday, Apple released watchOS 4.1, allowing Apple Watch Series 3 users to stream music from their entire iCloud Music Library or through Apple Music rather than limiting them to tunes from playlists synced from their iPhones. And for Watch owners opting into the models with built-in LTE connectivity, the update now allows them to take advantage of these capabilities without having to tote around their iPhones. Now, as MacRumors reports, Apple has released a breakdown of how the Watch Series 3 battery fares during music streaming.
Apple watchOS 4.1 delivers phone-free music streaming
For many, the big allure of Apple Watch Series 3 has been the promise of phone-free music streaming on cellular data: you can listen to any song you like while you're out for a run, not just whatever's stored on the watch itself. And now you can see whether or not it lives up to the hype. Apple has released watchOS 4.1, which lets you stream either Apple Music or your iCloud Music Library directly from your wristwear. You'll need a Series 3 watch, of course, but you're no longer tethered to your iPhone if you demand fresh tunes at all times.
Three is adding 'free' Apple Music data to Go Binge plans
Zero-rated services, it seems, are here to stay. Almost every major UK network has revealed its own take on the concept, offering "free" data when you use specific apps on your phone. Three's version, Go Binge, launched in July with a handful of partners including Netflix, Deezer and SoundCloud. Today, to coincide with the launch of the iPhone X, the company has announced a new addition: Apple Music. The service joins the Go Binge family on November 27th and will be eligible for customers with an "advanced" contract or SIM-only plan with at least 4GB of data.
Billboard’s charts will give more weight to paid music streams in 2018
Starting in 2018, Billboard will change the way it counts streaming music for its charts. Right now, the way it works for the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart is that there are two tiers for streaming music: on demand (where you can select what you listen to) and programmed (think Pandora). On demand listening is given a greater weight than programmed. But next year, the company will add another tier. Paid subscription services (such as Apple Music and the paid tiers of services like Spotify) will have more weight than purely ad-supported listening and unpaid tiers of subscription streaming services.
Apple Music's latest short stars Niall Horan from One Direction
Niall Horan might be a member of the celebrated boy band One Direction, but he's ready to strike out on his own with the release of his first solo album Flicker. Now, Billboard reports that thanks to Apple Music, Horan will debut a short film called On the Record: Flicker, which will take viewers behind the scenes of recording the album. It will feature both footage of rehearsals, as well as interviews and a look into Horan's creative process. The film and album both debut on October 20th. You can see the trailer below. This isn't the first venture Apple Music has made into short film documentaries featuring musicians. Megastar Pink is releasing her seventh studio album Beautiful Trauma this week, on October 13th. Apple Music will also release On the Record: Pink — Beautiful Trauma, a short documentary about the making of the album. Apple Music is doing well with these documentary exclusives, and it will be interesting to see if these give them an edge in the music streaming wars.
Mixcloud plans subscription service with Warner Music deal
Mixcloud -- a user-generated audio site similar to SoundCloud but with more of a focus on long-form content -- just signed a licensing deal with Warner Music, the Financial Times reports. This means that the site can soon begin to offer subscriptions. Mixcloud plays host to around 17 million listeners per month who tune in to some 12 million radio shows, DJ sets and podcasts. Some of its content generators include Tiesto, David Byrne of the Talking Heads and The Guardian.
Apple's latest doc is about unsung music legend Bert Berns
Apple's latest video exclusive is another documentary on a lesser-known music maestro. Just days after the premiere of its Clive Davis feature, its unveiled the trailer for Bang! The Bert Berns Story. The Beatles, Van Morrison, and The Rolling Stones have all sung Bert Berns' compositions. Yet, the man himself never received the canonization granted to his peers. This despite the fact that most people have probably heard Berns' biggest hits, such as Twist and Shout, I Want Candy, and Piece of My Heart.
