“Apple Music may still be tens of millions of paid subscribers behind Spotify in the global market, but the company now has more paying users in the most lucrative streaming nation of them all,” Parker Hall writes for Digital Trends. “That’s right: Apple’s on-demand streaming service is now besting the Swedes with over 20 million subscribers in the United States, according to a recent report from Digital Music News.”
“A key part of [Apple]’s strategy has been a steady flow of partnerships involving blockbuster releases by big-name artists. In particular, Apple has done well to join forces with household names in the world of rap, hip-hop, and R&B — which make up over one-third of music streams in the United States, according to Neilsen Music,” Hall writes. “Drake, Frank Ocean, Chance The Rapper, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and others have all signed deals for album releases via Apple Music at one time or another, either giving subscribers earlier access to their new music, or offering it exclusively to those who pay for Apple Music, though the exclusivity tact has become less common in recent years.”
“Beyond offering listeners earlier access to their favorite artists’ new material, Apple Music has made a name for itself among die-hard fans by offering them access to artists via its popular Beats One radio service. A huge cast of cult-beloved musicians like Drake, Frank Ocean, Pharell, Ryan Adams, Deadmau5, and more have radio shows on Beats One,” Hall writes. “Tt’s easy to see why those who are at home inside Apple’s ecosystem would pick Apple Music over its competitors. After all, if you already own an iPhone and a Mac, there’s probably no reason that you wouldn’t try Apple Music first… Recent reports say that Apple Music may outpace Spotify by as many as three million paid subscribers in the United States by the end of 2018.”
