Description
Apple Music is an audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country, which are broadcast live to over 200 countries 24 hours a day. The service was announced on June 8, 2015, and launched on June 30, 2015. New subscribers get a one-month free or six months free trial with the purchase of select products before the service requires a monthly subscription.
Originally strictly a music service, Apple Music began expanding into video in 2016. Executive Jimmy Iovine has stated that the intention for the service is to become a "cultural platform", and Apple reportedly wants the service to be a "one-stop shop for pop culture". The company is actively investing heavily in the production and purchasing of video content, both in terms of music videos and concert footage that support music releases, as well as web series and feature films.
The original iOS version of Apple Music received mixed reviews, with criticism directed towards a user interface deemed "not intuitive". However, it was praised for its playlist curation, a vast library of songs to stream, and its integration with other Apple devices and services. In iOS 10, the app received a significant redesign, which received positive reviews for an updated interface with less clutter, improved navigation, and a bigger emphasis on users' libraries. Apple Music gained popularity rapidly after its launch, passing the milestone of 10 million subscribers in only six months. Though Apple does not disclose the amount of paid subscribers, research firm Midia Research estimated it at 78 million as of November 2021. As of October 2022, Apple Music reached the 100 million songs milestone in its streaming catalog in October 2022.
As of May 5, 2023, the most streamed song of all time on Apple Music is "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran with more than 930 million plays worldwide.
On of November 8, 2023, it was revealed that Taylor Swift is the most streamed female artist in the platform's history as well as the female artist with most songs reaching Global Daily Top 100. It was also revealed that Midnights stands as the biggest album of all time by a female artist in the platform's history by first-day and first-week streams worldwide.
On November 28, 2023, it was announced that in 2023, Taylor Swift was the most listened-to artist by Apple Music subscribers, simultaneously setting a new all-time record for the most listeners for any artist in a single year.
