Apple Music Estimated to Have 8M Paying Subscribers, Predicted to Hit 20M by End of 2016

[MacRumors]

Apple's streaming music service Apple Music will have 8 million subscribers by the time 2015 comes to a close, according to music business analyst Mark Mulligan (via Music Business Worldwide). Mulligan also forecast that Apple Music should hit 20 million total users by around this time next year, ultimately making it the second most popular streaming music service behind Spotify.

"Apple might not have found the subscription market quite the plain sailing it had anticipated but it has still managed to establish itself as the second player with astounding pace. Its platform and marketing assets are well known, but its clear commitment to making Apple Music work have surprised some."

As Mulligan pointed out, however, the exact numbers in his prediction can vary as we head into the new year. With Apple Music's three-month free trial that could have led to some accidental paid subscribers and Spotify Premium's $1 a month three-month trial system, the analyst stated that there are enough "wildcards" in the equation to unbalance his prediction.

If the analyst's estimation of 8 million Apple Music subscribers by the New Year becomes true, that would be about 1.5 million growth during the fall, after Tim Cook confirmed the service had 6.5 million in October. Normally $10/month, Mulligan believes if Apple has trouble with getting subscribers to stick around, they could return to convincing record labels in lowering that monthly cost.

"If Apple finds growth tough going, expect it to throw everything it has got at getting the labels to agree to lower price point products so it can open up large chunks of the iTunes music customer base."

In the meantime, Apple is pushing Apple Music onto more supported third-party products, including a beta for Sonos speakers that brought support for the streaming music service onto the speakers for the first time. The Cupertino company is also still dealing in exclusives, recently announcing a project with Taylor Swift that will include a made-for-Apple Music concert film debuting on the service this Sunday, December 20. Recently, Apple began rewarding its retail workers with gifts for the holidays, which included a free nine-month subscription to Apple Music.

Article Link: Apple Music Estimated to Have 8M Paying Subscribers, Predicted to Hit 20M by End of 2016

 

[Sirious]

I'm no longer one of them.. lol

 

[mrgeekguymd]

They've got to make a switch to make all music available offline without ever having to touch anything again. That is the only issue I've got with the service.

 

[thmsup]

All I could think of after reading the analyst's name: Mike Milligan

 

[Crosscreek]

I always believe analysts and all they do for us as scientist......:O

 

[mattopotamus]

I seriously wonder how many people have forgot to cancel after the free trail. I know that may be hard for some to believe, but so many people do this and just keep paying month after month

 

[jaded-mandarin]

Is it still a ridiculously unfinished, buggy and incoherent application? I didn't pay for any service prior to my free trial but a month in I was a fully paid up Spotify subscriber, it was that bad. Would have been so much more ideal for me if Apple Music was the platform it promised to be.

It just didn't really work. As in, the buttons I pressed did nothing.

 

[Cronowerx]

I'm no longer one of them.. lol

If Apple makes it $4.99 a month, I'd jump right back to Apple music...

 

[0815]

How do they count my family subscription? As one, as five (what the max number of users on it are) or as four (which the actual number of active users on the subscription is) ? I would assume that there are tons of family subscriptions since it is a pretty good deal for a family.

 

[driphone]

I am a paid subscriber and do like the Apple Music. To make all music available offline just do so by selecting a whole genre and mark it to be available offline. It will take only few seconds.

 

[0815]

I seriously wonder how many people have forgot to cancel after the free trail. I know that may be hard for some to believe, but so many people do this and just keep paying month after month

Since they get an email every month that money was charged to their credit card for it, I would assume if there really are people that 'forgot', that they would have canceled it right away after seeing that they are being charged

I personally think it is a very silly claim that there is some notable percentage of people that forgot to cancel.

 

[friedmud]

EDIT: Other have already responded saying Apple Music _does_ in fact work with the Watch! I'll be trying it out immediately!

Original Comment (for historical purposes):

My only question: when will it work with the Watch? That's the only reason I haven't tried it yet (still with Spotify)... I'm just waiting to see which service supports the Watch with offline music play first...

 

[mrgeekguymd]

I am a paid subscriber and do like the Apple Music. To make all music available offline just do so by selecting a whole genre and mark it to be available offline. It will take only few seconds.

I actually made a smart playlist which adds any added song automatically, so I just have to worry about clicking onto that single playlist. Still not good because this feature should have been built in from the beginning. Apple really dropped the ball on Music service.

 

[danwest]

If i was able to stream it offline, i'd pay the £10..

 

[ra4oasis]

Is it still a ridiculously unfinished, buggy and incoherent application? I didn't pay for any service prior to my free trial but a month in I was a fully paid up Spotify subscriber, it was that bad. Would have been so much more ideal for me if Apple Music was the platform it promised to be.

It just didn't really work. As in, the buttons I pressed did nothing.

If it were really THAT bad, they wouldn't have so many subscribers thus far, would they? I for one user the service every day, and have had almost zero issues with it.

 

[Precision Gem]

I actually joined and am now paying. I dumped Netfix, and applied that what I was paying for to Apple Music. Netflix, other than a few series has crap for movies online. I find the Music service a lot of fun. I use it every day, we were using Netflix maybe once a month.

 

[RedOrchestra]

"...expect it to throw everything it has got at getting the labels to agree to lower price point products..."

Yeah beat down the songwriters and artists BUT hold firm on YOUR profit margin - that's the stuff Apple.

 

[bushido]

If i was able to stream it offline, i'd pay the £10..

u are?

 

[cliffster82]

I like the fact that I can add any music to my library, stuff that I never heard because I never shelled out for it. I've probably listened to dozens and dozens of songs and a bunch of albums I never heard from bands I like. For me it's well worth the cost.

 

[Precision Gem]

If it were really THAT bad, they wouldn't have so many subscribers thus far, would they? I for one user the service every day, and have had almost zero issues with it.

I have had no issues either. I don't see what people are complaining about. And now it works also on the new AppleTV so I am really happy with it.

 

[LordVic]

If it were really THAT bad, they wouldn't have so many subscribers thus far, would they? I for one user the service every day, and have had almost zero issues with it.

to be honest. Nobody knows the subscriber count. Apple isn't releasing the information. This is literally some analyst making another predicution without any real metrics to back it up. And considering we're still in the "honey moon" period where a lot of people are using free trials. its going to be impossible to know just how many people stick with it. That'll be the interesting notation if Apple ever releases the number.

I gave it a shot. Won't be using it. no Web streaming App and requirement of using iTunes is a non-starter for me and cancelled my trial.

 

[Gutwrench]

I'm happy with Apple Music. I use it daily at work and at home.

 

[jmgregory1]

I'm paying for a family subscription and for what our kids would have spent on a monthly basis buying music, Apple Music just made financial sense. I, myself, have already downloaded songs and albums that I have always wanted but wasn't keen to buy outright, and have also tried things I wouldn't have previously, because of the "For You" suggestions. The app itself isn't perfect - the ... "button" is as unintuitive as can be, but the family has figured these things out for the most part and Apple will improve it over time.

 

[Precision Gem]

If i was able to stream it offline, i'd pay the £10..

You can save the album or song to your iPhone or iPad and listen offline.

 

[dk001]

After the disastrous experience I had and Apple's hand-wringing indifference I won't go back.
Personally I think the analysts(s) who came up with the number are seriously reaching or an employee of a 3rd party Apple support group.