Drake Announces Apple Music as a Sponsor of Upcoming 'Summer Sixteen' Tour

[MacRumors]

Drake and Apple have been in a partnership since the launch of Apple Music last summer, with the artist contributing his own Beats 1 radio show to the streaming service and recently announcing that his upcoming album, Views From The 6, will be exclusive to Apple Music and iTunes for one week. In an Instagram post today, Drake confirmed his partnership with Apple will continue into live music as Apple Music will sponsor his "Summer Sixteen" tour (via The Verge).

The tour kicks off July 20 in Austin, Texas, and features the artist Future as a co-headliner with Drake. In the brief Instagram announcement, no specifics were given regarding the nature of Apple Music's sponsorship of the tour, besides the decorative inclusion of the Apple Music logo on the Summer Sixteen poster. The partnership could open the possibility for the streaming service to give fans some kind of exclusive glimpse into Drake's performances, akin to Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour documentary released last December.

Those interested in tickets for the Sumer Sixteen tour will be able to purchase them beginning April 29. The tour will visit over thirty cities in the United States and Canada, ending on September 17 in Vancouver. One of Drake and Future's well-known songs, "Jumpman," was used by Apple in a recent Apple Music ad starring Taylor Swift.

Article Link: Drake Announces Apple Music as a Sponsor of Upcoming 'Summer Sixteen' Tour

 

[LordQ]

One Dance is catchy.

EDIT: Zane Lowe is broadcasting the complete album right now on Beats 1 if anyone is interested.

 

[fabian9]

Anyone else think that Apple Music is a little too centered around Iovine, Dre, and Drake?

 

[CarpalMac]

Anyone else think that Apple Music is a little too centered around Iovine, Dre, and Drake?

Having paid what they paid, to move focus away would be almost to admit that they paid too much for something they didn't want/need.

It's like me deliberately storing all my data on my over spec'd MBPr, when I could have lived with a much smaller SSD...

 

[ck2875]

Anyone else think that Apple Music is a little too centered around Iovine, Dre, and Drake?

Perhaps them boys up to something?

 

[lunarworks]

Here come all the people who care so little about Drake that they have to tell everyone how little they care about Drake.

 

[Junior117]

I know the community here doesn't like this type of music (I'm not too fond of it myself), but the fact of the matter is, it's working for Apple. Hopefully, in the future, they can expand the focus to other genres, but for now, getting the type of community that likes this stuff is something that Apple's been trying to do for a while.

I remember reading in Steve Jobs' biography where Jobs talked to Enimen (I just KNOW I'm selling his name wrong), because Jobs knew that he needed that community for iTunes to succeed. Here, Apple is cranking it up to 11 this time around because it seems to be really popular (the MTV Music Awards is still hugely successful, much to our (or at least my) annoyance). Eventually, though, I do expect Apple to go into other areas (well, they're starting, like with Pop (Taylor Swift) and a little of country (with some people that I don't know (or care about))). Until then, at least the other genres aren't blocked out of Apple Music.

Maybe they'll go through with those plans of making more Beats radio stations. (I personally hope for one focused on Japanese music. (Yeah, I like that style of music. So sue me.))

 

[lunarworks]

I know the community here doesn't like this type of music (I'm not too fond of it myself), but the fact of the matter is, it's working for Apple. Hopefully, in the future, they can expand the focus to other genres, but for now, getting the type of community that likes this stuff is something that Apple's been trying to do for a while.

Hip-hop, pop, and country are the only genres where you can cover a large base right now. At least, in the US.

EDM, possibly, but rock's influence is in a lull and way too fragmented at the moment. When's the last time a rock band (not Coldplay) captured a wide, mainstream appeal?

 

[Junior117]

Hip-hop, pop, and country are the only genres where you can cover a large base right now. At least, in the US.

EDM, possibly, but rock's influence is in a lull and way too fragmented at the moment. When's the last time a rock band (not Coldplay) captured a wide, mainstream appeal?

I get what you're saying, and my point doesn't necessarily contradicts your point. So I agree.

Speaking of which, is Coldplay really a rock band? Personally, I've never really considered them as one (then again, in spite me being a fan of their music, I've never really figured out what kind of genre they fit into).

 

[peterh988]

Anyone else think that Apple Music is a little too centered around Iovine, Dre, and Drake?

Is it still mostly hip hop? Gave it a chance, gave up a few days after launch.

 

[bradl]

Hip-hop, pop, and country are the only genres where you can cover a large base right now. At least, in the US.

EDM, possibly, but rock's influence is in a lull and way too fragmented at the moment. When's the last time a rock band (not Coldplay) captured a wide, mainstream appeal?

Def Leppard, Nirvana, Metallica, in that order. The issue with that is that Rock music has been stale and stagnant as you mentioned, but also that those who can get that appeal are starting to age out. Most are hitting their 50s, and when Nirvana hit in the US, the era of pure Arena/Stadium rock really started to die out. that's why Rock and metal pretty much returned to their roots underground and are still thriving, and hip-hop and pop are where they are now.

BL.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

One Dance is catchy.

EDIT: Zane Lowe is broadcasting the complete album right now on Beats 1 if anyone is interested.

Views?

 

[lunarworks]

I get what you're saying, and my point doesn't necessarily contradicts your point. So I agree.

Speaking of which, is Coldplay really a rock band? Personally, I've never really considered them as one (then again, in spite me being a fan of their music, I've never really figured out what kind of genre they fit into).

Rock is really hard to define. They certainly have indie rock elements to them, but it drifts heavily into pop. (I've seen them in concert, before they got that over-produced sound with Viva la Vida.)

 

[Junior117]

Rock is really hard to define. They certainly have indie rock elements to them, but it drifts heavily into pop. (I've seen them in concert, before they got that over-produced sound with Viva la Vida.)

Huh. Interesting. Well, this has certainly made my understanding of what defines Rock music even more than it already is to me.

:/

 

[lunarworks]

Def Leppard, Nirvana, Metallica, in that order. The issue with that is that Rock music has been stale and stagnant as you mentioned, but also that those who can get that appeal are starting to age out. Most are hitting their 50s, and when Nirvana hit in the US, the era of pure Arena/Stadium rock really started to die out. that's why Rock and metal pretty much returned to their roots underground and are still thriving, and hip-hop and pop are where they are now.

BL.

I wouldn't necessarily say rock is stagnant, it's thriving, but the mainstream appeal is definitely a generational thing.

 

[BSben]

Sponsoring artists is not without risks. Glad Apple Music started after Gary Glitter......

 

[jdillings]

Here come all the people who care so little about Drake that they have to tell everyone how little they care about Drake.

I can't hate a guy who came from the mean streets of suburban Toronto

 

[Three141]

Good move by Drake I felt the hotline bling video had Apple type colours in certain scenes reminded me of their gift cards.

 

[Keane16]

Anyone else think that Apple Music is a little too centered around Iovine, Dre, and Drake?

Is it still mostly hip hop? Gave it a chance, gave up a few days after launch.

I imagine you mean Beats 1 and not Apple Music? Apple Music has all sorts of Music - you can listen to whatever you like. Beats 1 is just a radio station.

In the early days Beats 1 certainly felt more Hip-Hop focussed. But more recently it seems to be getting more varied (no actual scientific proof). You can have a quick glance at the Twitter feed below to get an idea of the types of music played:

https://twitter.com/beats1plays?lang=en-gb

In the last few hours you've got Michael Kiwanuka, Liss, Courts Music, The Clash, Hiatus Kaiyote, Okzharp & Samrai, Dusky, Band of Horses etc.

 

[fabian9]

I imagine you mean Beats 1 and not Apple Music? Apple Music has all sorts of Music - you can listen to whatever you like. Beats 1 is just a radio station.

I was thinking more about everything else "around" Apple Music.

Too lazy to find the links now, but I seem to remember reading about (amongst other things):
- adverts, featuring Dre
- Apple original content, featuring Dre
- Apple Music exclusive content, Dre and drake
- Apple Music guest djs, featuring drake
- Apple key note, featuring Drake
- Drake concerts, featuring Apple

 

[Keane16]

I was thinking more about everything else "around" Apple Music.

Too lazy to find the links now, but I seem to remember reading about (amongst other things):
- adverts, featuring Dre
- Apple original content, featuring Dre
- Apple Music exclusive content, Dre and drake
- Apple Music guest djs, featuring drake
- Apple key note, featuring Drake
- Drake concerts, featuring Apple

Sounds mostly like marketing, I don't really come across it. Doesn't affect my usage of the service one bit.

As a shareholder though if there is Drake collaboration on marketing then good. He's not my cup of tea but he seems pretty popular with the younger crowd. I also saw an article on MR about a Taylor Swift ad which can only be good for viability of the service too.

As long as I can stream what I want, when I want and control it using Siri - I couldn't care less about who Apple use for advertising.