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Apple has acquired Platoon, a London-based A&R startup focused on discovering rising music artists, according to Music Business Worldwide.

platoon.jpg

Platoon was founded in 2016 by Saul Klein, co-founder of defunct British video-on-demand service LoveFilm, and Denzyl Feigelson, who is a 40-year music industry veteran and has been advisor to Apple about matters related to iTunes and later Apple Music since 2003, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The startup reportedly worked with California singer Billie Eilish before she signed to Interscope in 2017. The 16-year-old recently debuted a new song "Come Out And Play" as the backdrop to Apple's "Share Your Gifts" holiday ad.



Feigelson will lead Platoon's team of 12 full-time employees from its London headquarters, where it has two recording studios, according to the report. Platoon is expected to continue supporting artists across areas including tour support, original content, social media marketing, and global expansion strategies.

A&R, for those unaware, is all about talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists and songwriters. A&R representatives often act as a liaison between artists and record labels or publishing companies.

Typically when Apple makes an acquisition, it issues a statement that reads "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally don't discuss our purpose or plans." Apple has yet to confirm the Platoon acquisition, however, and some acquisitions turn out to be acqui-hires instead.

If the acquisition did happen, though, it will likely aid the Apple Music team's ability to continue discovering original music from up-and-coming artists. Apple Music already highlights emerging artists through its "Up Next" program.

Update: British newspaper The Telegraph also reports that Apple has acquired Platoon, citing a source close to Apple.

Article Link: Apple Has Reportedly Acquired British Startup 'Platoon' Focused on Discovering Up-and-Coming Music Artists
 
Where are they going? It is like Apple is meandering about rudderless. Buying a music production startup?

Rebuild your main eco system of devices. They are wasting their technical talent on peripheral curiosities.

I feel like Apple is just lost and wandering. Luckily they had the inertia that the iPhone gave them after Jobs died. But they have to refocus on getting all their products back into the "insanely great" category.

(P.S. - If they use iTunes to sell these songs, I'll never be able to find them. Spend some money to fix that)
 
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The whole "owning" content angle just feels like something that is (will be) a money hole. Hopefully it doesn't turn out that way. It also adds the potential conflict of Apple being an owner of some content vs other's.

Have noticed many of the young people don't watch TV, nor online series's much....they seem to just watch youtube for the most part with a little Netflix sprinkled in there. Which makes me wonder how long "content" will be a good investment.

I'd sure rather have had Apple (the tech / hardware company) invest the money into updated systems / new Airports / keep the photo book calendar printing around instead of putting money into content ownership / creation.
 
(P.S. - If they use iTunes to sell these songs, I'll never be able to find them. Spend some money to fix that)
You’re absolutely correct. Searching for a song title is pretty much useless. Results just show what Apple wants to sell you, not what you’ve actually searched for. It’s like they’ve gone out out of their way to mangle standard db search algorithms, and continue to think “we know what’s best for you”. Well you don’t!
 
So it would appear that the "new music industry" is every bit as corporate as the old music industry. So much for the internet leveling the playing field...

Internet , Apple, YouTube, Spotify, did not level the playing field.
It actually destroy it.

Paying the Artist/Composers shameless streaming rates, is worst than supporting child labor rates.
 
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Why do I get the feeling it will just into “Here’s more Drake and Taylor Swift!”?
Then it would be considered a success if they could find new artists that appeal at that level.

I'll just keep looking for stuff I like and let the masses listen to what they want.
 
Then it would be considered a success if they could find new artists that appeal at that level.
I'll just keep looking for stuff I like and let the masses listen to what they want.
Probably Eddy bought a company that says “Eddy is right” when predicting hiphop, streetdance, gangsta bangsta etc. as new trends
 
something else they MESS up! I was listening to MY music today, with MY playlists, searching for what "I" wanted to listen to, without any MOVIES, BOOKS, UP AND COMING, PODCASTS, TV SHOWS etc......in my face! AND with colors in my sidebar!! And it was beautiful! And it was quick! All from my Awesome Indigo Imac running gorgeous Itunes 3.
Why has no one made an App that can replace the horrible new Itunes????? just my rant for the day!
 
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Hmmmm..

IF Apple let iOS developers sell directly to the public or through 3rd party stores (like on the mac) without going through their arsine captive app store..... THEN At some point in the future they may avoid going out of business:

CREATIVE SERVICES COMPANY SPLATOON ACQUIRES APPLE

0 SHARES (No one cares about Apple anymore)

DECEMBER 7, 2118 - A day that will live in infamy!

Splatoon, the China-based creative services firm founded in 2116 when Apple opened the iOS platform to direct and 3rd party App distribution has acquired Apple.

Prior to launching Splatoon, the founders worked for Apple in China for over 25 years in developer relations. They also were the original founder of Developers Without A Label – which worked with App developers who developed quality Apps that Apple rejected to for no actual reason.

Splatoon has developed a raft of early-stage App developers in Asia over the past two years who have gone on to make waves in the software business. Splatoon has already said that it has “no plans” to work with US based software companies because people in the US expect to be paid for working. The expectation that software is free only works in China where the communist government pays everyone a small but equal salary. Something similar was tried back in the early 2000’s by the US State of California, but it failed miserably and eventually led to California being annexed by Mexico after its succession from the United States. Working for no pay pushed all US software companies out of the industry by the mid-2000’s, so Splatoon considers this issue moot.

The founders denied a rumor that Apple originally wanted Splatoon to just take over the Apple App Store while agreeing to maintain the draconian captivity that Apple forced on app developers. But Splatoon neither confirmed or denied the rumor that they just “waited it out” for a few more years as Apple continued its maniacal control of what they still believed was their ‘ecosystem’. Seems Apple’s trend of self destruction has finally come to an end. Splatoon also responded with “no comment” when asked if Apple was acting in final desperation by opening their iOS platform in 2116.

A confidential source, which is suspected to be the ghost of Steve Jobs, who finally reached through the grave (again) to save Apple (again) was reported to be heard saying: “THE SPLATOON DEAL GIVES APPLE THE BACKING AND RESOURCES TO REESTABLISH ITS GOAL TO DEVELOP HARDWARE – WHILE LEAVING APP DEVELOPERS FREE TO SIGN WITH WHO THEY WANT AND DISTRIBUTE THEIR APPLICTIONS WHERE THEY WANT. NOW CAN I FINALY REST IN PEACE???”

Splatoon is already working with new and reborn talent for 2119 including Microsoft, a software company that dominated the software industry in the early 2000s, but then went on languish billions in cash in an attempt to develop low quality hardware before it was eventually bought by the China based Alibaba Group.

When interviewed the Splatoon founders told us: “We’re pretty developer-friendly. We have great relationships with every developer and we often have ‘can we do this together?’ conversations. This is the polar opposite of how we were instructed to treat small developers while working at Apple”.

However, they added: “I really do think a global developer will break through Splatoon and it will change perceptions… when you give small independent developers an equal chance, App customers can be smart about what they download. Back when Apple opened the App Store in 2008 they operated in this way. This enabled a huge amount of untapped creativity, which ushered a new product and era”. Of course Apple’s enormous cash holdings only delayed their inevitable and painstakingly long decline, which which was difficult watch.

Now that Apple is finally focused on developing hardware, we asked Splatoon if we will finally see a Mac Pro 7.1. Splatoon answered that they “do not comment on future product plans”.
 
Apple really is running around like a headless chicken. Here they are buying a music startup for some unknown reason while their mac, iPad, and even iphone sales are plummeting.

Apple closed today under $800 Billion and below Microsoft. They need to stop neglecting their core products and stop distracting themselves with nonsense like "discovering up and coming music artists".
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Why do I get the feeling it will just into “Here’s more Drake and Taylor Swift!”?

And don't forget Timmy's absolute favourite racist, homophobic, woman-beater, Dr. Dre. He needs more promotion too.
 
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Apple (among others like YOuTube) destroyed the music business with poor mechanical payments and streaming music rates that are below child labor rates.

So who cares that Apple bought a company that can discover new music artists, since in the very near future, there will be no new artist to be discovered.
 
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