Apple Music Enters the Streaming Game

There's no question that streaming services are here to stay.  Just like they did when the MP3 revolution occurred, the music industry has been forced to adapt to the ever changing and constantly evolving technological landscape.  Services like Spotify and Pandora have been around for some time now and as more and more people have come around to their convenience and accesibility, it's becoming harder and harder for other platforms to compete.  While there has been some artist backlash against the current trends, most notably Taylor Swifts refusal to put her music on streaming services, most musicians are doing what they've always done, going with the flow.  The newest player is Apple who after being the one to usher in the digital music age, is rather late to the streaming game.  Their new service Apple Music offers the same type of streaming service people have come to expect: curated playlists, access to a massive online digital library, algorithms that determine new artists you'll like.  But where they differ is most notably in their incorporation of Beats 1 Radio, a radio station with shows by artists for fans.  Similar to Sirius XM radio, Beats 1 will feature programs by artists like Dr. Dre and St. Vincent alongside other programming. Personally, I think streaming services are destroying the personal relationship music has always had with people.  Much like everything else in our constantly updating technological world, it only serves to create a disconnect between fans and music while giving the user the illusion of increased connectivity.  More access and more content is not always a good thing. But that is a discussion for another day. Rolling Stone breaks down the new Apple service and lists it's pros and cons.  You can read their report below.

Apple Music: The Ins and Outs