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Beats 1 to Include Programming Blocks From Celebrities Like Elton John, Pharrell, and Dr. Dre

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News has been swirling around the impending launch of Apple's new streaming music service, Apple Music, for a few weeks now. This morning, it was revealed that rapper Eminem will be the first official guest interviewed by DJ Zane Lowe on the Beats 1 live 24/7 radio show, setting up for a launch next Tuesday, June 30. Today, thanks to an in-depth post from The New York Times, new details regarding the show's programming schedule and celebrity partners have been revealed.

zane_lowe_press1-800x450.jpg

Lowe envisions Beats 1 as a sort of social media platform for music, a place where users worldwide can flock to in search of new song discoveries and celebrity interviews and news, akin to platforms like Twitter and Instagram. To tackle such a task, Beats 1 will be broken down into one- and two-hour slots, sometimes hosted and produced by celebrities and musicians themselves.
"Everyone keeps going to their devices because of fear of missing out," he said. "I'm constantly going on Instagram, Twitter, wondering what's going on in my friends' lives. What am I missing? I want that for radio. What's on right now, right now, that I didn't know I wanted to listen to?"

To keep Beats 1 sounding fresh around the world, the station will alternate one- and two-hour programming blocks by established broadcasters with those by musicians and celebrities, who will host and plan the shows themselves. Among the names on board: the teen actor Jaden Smith, the alternative singer St. Vincent, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and the British electronic duo Disclosure.
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Small hints were given to the specificities of some of Beats 1's shows, including a Dr. Dre-hosted hour called "The Pharmacy," and a smash-up between eclectic oldies and modern classics hosted by Elton John, suitably titled "Elton John's Rocket Hour." Other celebrity partners with planned shows include Pharrell and Drake, the former with a planned exclusive single for the service and the latter publicly supporting Apple Music on stage at WWDC this year.

The original idea for Beats 1 came from musician -- and key designer of Apple Music -- Trent Reznor, who hoped to expand the window of each individual user's musical tastes, fearing a lack of discovery and creativity in the current landscape of digital downloads. Listening to Lowe's own BBC-hosted radio show led Reznor to eventually helping Apple form and create the idea of Apple Music, and specifically a worldwide "monoculture" of a radio show in Beats 1. "Part of the last three months has been desperately trying to come up with a new word that's not radio," Lowe mentioned to The New York Times. "We couldn't do it."

Apple Music has faced a few hurdles in the weeks leading up to its big debut, namely in the public criticism of its three-month free trial by musician Taylor Swift, followed immediately by the company's reversal on its no-royalties policy during that period. Those interested should check out The New York Times' full-length feature on Zane Lowe and his addition to Apple Music, which is just five days away from launch.

Article Link: Beats 1 to Include Programming Blocks From Celebrities Like Elton John, Pharrell, and Dr. Dre
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/06/25/beats-1-programming-blocks/
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icanhazapple

macrumors 6502a
Feb 26, 2009
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The public's infatuation with celebrities is one of the reasons why it's terrifying. Apple pandering to this crowd isn't surprising, just disappointing. There are many more worthwhile features (Docker kernel support on OS X, iConnect metrics, better curation and promotion on the app store) that actually mean something with respect to pushing computing/humanity forward, that deserve resources instead of this.

This is why I haven't given up on Google.

(The public is also terrifyingly stupid)
 
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devinthomas

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Mar 16, 2013
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The original idea for Beats 1 came from musician -- and key designer of Apple Music -- Trent Reznor, who hoped to expand the window of each individual user's musical tastes, fearing a lack of discovery and creativity in the current landscape of digital downloads. Listening to Lowe's own BBC-hosted radio show led Reznor to eventually helping Apple form and create the idea of Apple Music, and specifically a worldwide "monoculture" of a radio show in Beats 1. "Part of the last three months has been desperately trying to come up with a new word that's not radio," Lowe mentioned to The New York Times. "We couldn't do it."
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That's interesting, because I think if pushed the right way that will propel it's success. It's a familiar idea to people to reference, but it's done differently and that's exciting.

If they could also acquire someone like iHeartRadio with actual streaming local radio stations built in, the radio tab would be a huge win over other services.
 
C

coltman75

macrumors regular
Jun 22, 2010
117
163
icanhazapple said:
The public's infatuation with celebrities is one of the reasons why it's terrifying. Apple pandering to this crowd isn't surprising, just disappointing. There are many more worthwhile features (Docker kernel support on OS X, iConnect metrics, better curation and promotion on the app store) that actually mean something with respect to pushing computing/humanity forward, that deserve resources instead of this.

This is why I haven't given up on Google.

(The public is also terrifyingly stupid)
Click to expand...
Yeah... isn't happiness the worst?!
 
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sshambles

sshambles

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Oct 19, 2005
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I'm expecting to hear a wide variety of stuff that's current, new, unknown and hopefully also stuff that's underrated from the past.

A lot of hidden stuff that's lost among all the 'new and flashy' stuff.

Celebrities are all well and good, but unless they make great relevant music, shelve them for someone that does. Old or new.
 
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skellener

skellener

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Jun 23, 2003
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citysnaps said:
And that's why it's great that you, and others, have a choice available. You can listen to Beats 1, or, you can listen to streaming music. Or listen to nothing.
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Or listen to music I purchased - internet and monthly fees not required.

Ping failed - hey let's bring back Ping! Not interested in any of this. I gave up radio long ago. I have no desire to go back.
 
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slagathor001

macrumors regular
Nov 2, 2011
195
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icanhazapple said:
The public's infatuation with celebrities is one of the reasons why it's terrifying. Apple pandering to this crowd isn't surprising, just disappointing. There are many more worthwhile features (Docker kernel support on OS X, iConnect metrics, better curation and promotion on the app store) that actually mean something with respect to pushing computing/humanity forward, that deserve resources instead of this.

This is why I haven't given up on Google.

(The public is also terrifyingly stupid)
Click to expand...


At least they chose some good musicians! Josh Homme, Dre, Trent Reznor, Elton John... They are all extremely talented!
 
N

NightStorm

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Jan 26, 2006
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Saucesome2000 said:
I think getting Trent on board was a huge success of that $3 billion purchase. I think most are underestimating his worth in the recording industry.
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Yes, I'm very much hoping we get to hear him on Beats 1 as well.

I'm convinced that the WWDC Keynote would have went 1000 times better if they would have just had him to the "industry introduction" before handing it off to Eddy Cue.
 
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jicon

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Nov 29, 2004
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Toronto, ON
Zane... My head just shakes listening to him interview Kanye West a few months ago. Painful. (Found somewhere on youtube I'm sure) I won't be subjecting myself to that. Interested hearing the other two DJs however.
 
J

johngordon

macrumors 68000
Apr 19, 2004
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956
rctlr said:
Didn't they tout this as live 24 hours a day?
If interviews etc are pre-recorded, It's not live then is it?
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Well, its a live radio station, made up of mostly live shows, but with some pre-recorded interviews and documentaries.

If its anything at all like the evening schedules on Radio 1 here in the UK, its going to be great.

I know Zane Lowe is a bit of an unknown in the US - but he definitely is the real deal, and I for one am looking forward to getting his show back since he left the UK.
 
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rwilliams

rwilliams

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Apr 8, 2009
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Beats 1 is what I'm most interested in. I already have Rdio, so I'm not looking to switch to yet another streaming service.
 
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johngordon

macrumors 68000
Apr 19, 2004
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sshambles said:
I'm expecting to hear a wide variety of stuff that's current, new, unknown and hopefully also stuff that's underrated from the past.
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If you're interested to see the sort of stuff Zane plays, the track listings for his shows on Radio 1 are still online here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wkth/broadcasts/2015/03

And hopefully they'll get a lot of bands in to record exclusive live sessions like they do at Radio 1.
 
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