Apple Music

Product brand

Apple Music is Apple's subscription music streaming service, featuring a curated catalog, human-curated radio stations, and original content.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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First read: Nov 4, 2026
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Overview

Apple Music is a music streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Launched in 2015, it combines a vast on-demand catalog with human-curated playlists, original content, and live radio. The service is available on Apple devices and across platforms including Android, web, smart speakers, and more. Apple Music includes the flagship radio station Apple Music 1 (formerly Beats 1), which broadcasts 24/7, along with sister stations such as Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country. The service requires a paid subscription for full access, though radio stations are free to listen to with an Apple Account. Apple Music is part of Apple's Services segment, which also includes iCloud, Apple TV+, and the App Store. The service emphasizes editorial curation and artist relationships, differentiating itself from algorithm-driven competitors. It hosts exclusive releases, interviews, and live sessions, and has been integrated into Apple's ecosystem across devices. Apple Music also powers the Apple Music Festival (formerly iTunes Festival) and other events. As a product brand, Apple Music represents Apple's strategic push into subscription services and media.

History

Apple Music was announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2015 and launched on June 30, 2015. It was built upon the foundation of Beats Music, a subscription streaming service acquired by Apple in 2014 when it bought Beats Electronics for $3 billion. The acquisition brought in key personnel, including Beats Music CEO Ian Rogers and music curator Zane Lowe, who helped shape Apple Music's editorial direction. The service integrated with iTunes and the Music app on iOS, offering a catalog of millions of songs, curated playlists, and a 24/7 live radio station called Beats 1. Beats 1 launched alongside Apple Music on June 30, 2015, with Zane Lowe as the lead DJ. The station featured shows hosted by prominent artists and DJs, such as Julie Adenuga, Ebro Darden, and others. In its early years, Beats 1 was praised for its eclectic programming and human touch, though some criticized its repetitive scheduling and genre focus. Over time, Apple expanded the radio offerings, launching additional stations like Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country in August 2020, when Beats 1 was rebranded as Apple Music 1. In December 2024, Apple further expanded with Apple Música Uno, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music Chill. In August 2025, Apple partnered with TuneIn to make all six stations available on the TuneIn platform, increasing accessibility. Throughout its history, Apple Music has expanded to multiple platforms, including Android, web, and smart speakers, and has introduced features like spatial audio, lossless audio, and lyrics. It has also been the home of exclusive releases and artist interviews, and has hosted the Apple Music Festival (formerly iTunes Festival) until its cancellation in 2017. Apple Music is a key part of Apple's services strategy, contributing to recurring revenue and ecosystem lock-in.

Apple acquires Beats Electronics, including Beats Music, for $3 billion
Apple Music and Beats 1 launch
Apple refreshes Apple Music interface with iOS 10 and iTunes 12.5
Apple claims Beats 1 is 'the biggest radio station in the world'
Beats 1 rebrands to Apple Music 1; Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country launch
Apple launches Apple Música Uno, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music Chill
Apple partners with TuneIn to distribute all six Apple Music Radio stations

Products and positioning

Premium, human-curated music streaming integrated with Apple's ecosystem.

Apple Music subscription
On-demand access to millions of songs, playlists, and exclusive content.
Apple Music 1
24/7 live radio station featuring curated music and artist-hosted shows.
Apple Music Hits
Radio station playing hit songs from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.
Apple Music Country
Radio station dedicated to country music.
Apple Música Uno
Radio station featuring Latin music.
Apple Music Club
Radio station focused on dance and electronic music.
Apple Music Chill
Radio station for relaxing music.

Marketing campaigns

Apple Music Festival

Recent events

2026.10.23
Reported2026.10.23
Apple adds a virtual iPod player to Apple Music[2]Apple Music推出虚拟 iPod 播放器cultofmac.com
Apple added an interactive recreation of the original iPod to the Apple Music website for the device’s 25th anniversary. Visitors can navigate its menus and listen to short song previews.
Unconfirmed
Reported2026.10.21
Apple Music unveils a new visual identity[3]Apple Music推出全新视觉形象wallpaper.com
Apple Music unveiled a new visual identity that uses musical frequencies to create rippling, liquid forms.
2026.10.21
Reported2026.10.21
Apple Music launches a new visual identity[4]Apple Music推出全新视觉形象9to5mac.com
Apple Music officially launched a rebrand with a new design and logo. The company said the identity was shaped by an original composition from Fred again.. and NEST Acoustics.
2026.10.13
Apple introduces black-and-white Apple Music app icon with iOS 27.2 beta 4[5]Apple introduces black-and-white Apple Music app icon with iOS 27.2 beta 4bignewsnetwork.com
Apple introduced a new black-and-white app icon for Apple Music with the release of iOS 27.2 beta 4 on October 13, 2026, replacing the red-and-white design long associated with the app. The update also shifted the Music app to a blue active tab bar, black widget backgrounds, and black-and-white library section designs.
2022.01.27
Reported2022.01.26
Apple releases watchOS 8.4[6]苹果发布 watchOS 8.4finance.sina.com.cn
Apple released watchOS 8.4, which fixes an error that could prevent some third-party chargers from working normally with Apple Watch and adds support for Apple Music Voice Plan.
Unconfirmed
Apple Music and Spotify launch Lunar New Year playlists[7]Apple Music 与 Spotify 推出农历新年播放列表donews.com
Apple Music introduced Lunar New Year playlists, including artist-curated selections, a C-Pop spatial-audio playlist and Lunar New Year Radio. Spotify also offered Lunar New Year sections and related playlists in Chinese-speaking markets outside mainland China.
Unconfirmed
Reported2021.12.19
Apple Music receives a native interface in macOS 12.2 Beta[8]Apple Music 在 macOS 12.2 Beta 中改用原生界面finance.sina.com.cn
In macOS 12.2 Beta, Apple Music uses macOS's native interface framework, and its search results page is displayed as a native interface rather than a web page.
2021.12.14
Reported2021.12.13
Apple releases iOS and iPadOS 15.2[9]苹果发布iOS和iPadOS 15.2finance.sina.com.cn
Apple pushed the iOS and iPadOS 15.2 update to iPhone and iPad users. The update includes the Digital Legacy feature, an Apple Music Voice plan, an App Privacy Report, and other features and bug fixes.
2021.12.14
Reported2021.12.14
Apple Music launches Voice Plan[10]Apple Music推出Voice Planhypebot.com
Apple Music launched its Voice Plan, a Siri-based subscription tier that costs $4.99 per month and provides voice access to Apple Music content.
Unconfirmed
Apple Music Voice Plan announced for availability in 17 markets[11]Apple Music声控方案宣布将在17个国家或地区推出donews.com
Apple Music Voice Plan was described as soon to be available for purchase in 17 countries or regions, with Siri voice control as its interface.

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