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Apple renames Beats 1 and launches two new radio stations
Say goodbye to Apple Music’s Beats 1 — at least in name. Today, Apple announced it was rebranding its flagship radio station from Beats 1 to Apple Music 1. It’s a logical move, given that “Beats 1” was the only place Beats branding showed up in the Apple Music service.
Apple Music's Beats 1 station will broadcast from hosts' homes
Office workers aren't the only ones who can work from home during the coronavirus pandemic -- radio DJs can do so, too. Show hosts on Beats 1, Apple Music's internet radio station, will be broadcasting from the safety of their homes starting today. According to Apple, they will use FaceTime on their iPhones to conduct interviews with popular musicians like Elton John and Hayley Williams. It's not clear whether or not the anchors will use iPhones to record the non-interview sections of their shows, but it would be surprising if they opted for smartphones over more professional audio equipment such as condenser microphones and preamps. However, exclusive programs from Stone Age's Josh Homme, Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig and more will indeed be recorded on their iPhones.
Zane Lowe's new Beats 1 show is all about new music
This summer, Apple created New Music Daily, a curated playlist with the latest and most popular tracks from around the world. Today, it's launching a companion radio broadcast on Beats 1. The weekly show, "New Music Daily with Zane Lowe," will feature interviews with artists, commentary and songs from the playlist. The first episode premieres today at 12PM ET (9AM PT) with guests Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Coldplay's Chris Martin.
Apple Music now has 60 million paid subscribers
Apple Music now has 60 million paying subscribers. The company's Eddy Cue, a senior vice president of services, confirmed the milestone with French business publication Numerama today. According to Music Business Worldwide, Apple also noted that Beats 1 has "tens of millions of listeners."
Apple is bumping the iTunes Match limit to 100,000 songs
When Apple first revealed iTunes Match -- the service that lets you add your own, non-Apple purchased music to iTunes -- the 25,000 song limit probably seemed huge. That was way back in 2011, however, and Apple VP Eddy Cue has revealed that when iOS 9 arrives this fall, Match will support up to 100,000 songs. Cue reminded followers that Apple Music will also get Match-like capabilities, meaning you can fill in any missing streaming music with your own tracks. Though the service will launch tomorrow with a 25,000 song limit, it too will support 100,000 songs when iOS 9 comes out.
Pharrell, Drake and Elton John will DJ on Apple's Beats 1
With Apple Music launching in less than a week, much of the focus has been on its relationship with artists and the royalties it pays. Thanks to Taylor Swift, it appears to have weathered its minor storm, allowing it to focus on other parts of its upcoming launch. Beats 1, for example, will begin broadcasting on June 30 and will be fronted by ex-Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe in Los Angeles, Ebro Darden in New York and Julie Adenuga in London. When Apple's first live radio station was announced, it wasn't known how the company intended to fill the programming gaps between the three main hosts. However, the New York Times reports that it has lined up a number of high-profile musicians to do their part, with Dr. Dre Pharrell Williams, Drake, Jaden Smith, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Disclosure and even Elton John due to present their own shows.
