Apple Music Classical Now Available for Pre-Order on the App Store, Launches Later This Month

[MacRumors]

Apple's long-awaited dedicated classical music app today appeared on the App Store and is available for pre-order ahead of its launch at the end of March.

In 2021, Apple announced that it had purchased the classical music streaming service Primephonic and would be folding it into Apple Music via a new app dedicated to the genre. "Apple Music Classical" is now on the App Store and expected to be released on March 28, 2023. Users can pre-order the app now so that it downloads as soon as it is available. It is included for free as part of an Apple Music or Apple One subscription.

Speaking to TechCrunch, Apple said that the new Apple Music Classical app offers Apple Music subscribers access to over five million classical music tracks, including new high-quality releases, in addition to hundreds of curated playlists, thousands of exclusive albums, and other features like composer bios and deep dives on key works.

The app offers a simpler interface for interacting with classical music specifically. Unlike the existing Apple Music app, Apple Music Classical allows users to search by composer, work, conductor, catalog number, and more. Users can get more detailed information from editorial notes and descriptions.

Apple commissioned high-resolution digital portraits of famous composers like Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, and Johann Sebastian Bach for the app, using color palettes and artistic references from the relevant classical period, with more unique artwork to be added over time. Apple says that it has been working with classical music artists and institutions to offer exclusive content and recordings.

Apple Music Classical will only support iOS devices running iOS 15.4 or newer at launch. A version of the app for Android is also set to arrive "soon." Users can track news and updates about the Apple Music Classical on the new @appleclassical Twitter account.

Article Link: Apple Music Classical Now Available for Pre-Order on the App Store, Launches Later This Month

 

[cocky jeremy]

This is about as exciting as wet paint.

 

[Radin.Y]

Why does this need to be a separate app? It's all just music... 🤷‍♂️

 

[LeadingHeat]

Link?? I don’t see it.

Edit: here it is. That was pretty far down the search list!

 

[antiprotest]

Beethoven and Vivaldi here I come!

Maybe.

 

[Kylo83]

Why does one genre need a separate app why can’t it be in the main music app

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗]

Finally! It's almost here. I'm sure a lot of people are waiting for this.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

The app is included for free as part of Apple Music.

Well, that's good to know. A separate subscription would've been criminal on their part.

 

[dantracht]

About time!

 

[gri]

The way Apple treats classical albums is ridiculous and I don't expect it to be better than Idagio or comparable dedicated streaming apps. Apple Music sorting in "Composer" view lets Beethoven show up under "L" as it sorts by the first name. I often get in my library the booklet as a separate album from the actual album. Or it provides tracks but than puts part of the tracks into another "album". Need to see reports first before considering this.

 

[antiprotest]

Why does this need to be a separate app? It's all just music... 🤷‍♂️

Classical music connoisseurs don't want your hipster tunes contaminating their eyes and ears.

But I am surprised there are enough of them to warrant this from Apple.

 

[cpnotebook80]

Why! we already have a Classical genre section in the music app. the UI looks nothing exciting but just another duplicate music app.

 

[gri]

This is about as exciting as wet paint.

Maybe not for you but people who prefer classical music might be excited. Or at least curious.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

If it’s actually going to be available March 28, that makes me wonder if we’re going to get an event and 16.4RC the week before on the 21st or 22nd

 

[cmChimera]

Why does this need to be a separate app? It's all just music... 🤷‍♂️

No it’s not, and there have been numerous articles and statements explaining why there is a need for a separate app.

 

[arkitect]

Finally!

Hopefully they have really nailed it.

Fingers crossed.

 

[antiprotest]

Hey at least it's included with Apple Music. If you like classical at all there's no harm in trying it.

 

[dz5b609]

Why does this need to be a separate app? It's all just music... 🤷‍♂️

Searching for classical pieces is way different than for modern music, with composers being much more important, more artists per piece (with solists) and other numbering compared to albums. Plus it also has it's own coding system with certain codes meaning certain pieces of music. Cluttering the normal music app to get all that in a coherent system is not really feasible.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Why does this need to be a separate app? It's all just music... 🤷‍♂️

Most genres of music are simple, you’re just listening to a song by an artist.
if you’re listening to “Hey Jude” by The Beatles, you’re just simply listening to “Hey Jude” by The Beatles.
with classical music its a lot different.
Who composed it? Who arranged it? Who produced it? Who performed it? where was it performed?
tagging is different, the way things are arranged is different, its not just traditional singles, EPs and LPs.

 

[Chemeddy]

If anyone needs the link.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Okay I'm tired of getting quoted in this thread so I'm just gonna remove my previous comment. God I wish this forum had a delete button.

 

[PsykX]

No iPad or macOS screenshots ?
Another feature that's not on parity everywhere in the ecosystem. 👍🏻

 

[Silarkar]

Sad that it's only available on iOS, for now at least.

 

[Manzanito]

This is about as exciting as wet paint.

For the target audience it’s awesome. Apple didn’t do this for you, apparently.

 

[WorldIRC]

I have to ask: Why do you need an Apple Music sub for this? This is just classical music, music that is free since classical music is public domain. So why should you need a subscription just to listen to public domain music you can get for free from archive.org?

Someone still has to develop the app and service to provide the content. There may be other places (as you mentioned) to listen for free.