Apple Reportedly Hires More BBC Radio 1 Staff for New Music Service

[MacRumors]

Apple has reportedly hired four producers from BBC Radio 1 for its brand new music service, according to sources who spoke to Music Business Worldwide (MBW) (via AppleInsider). In February, Apple hired BBC Radio DJ Zane Lowe for its music services.

Little more than two months after poaching Zane Lowe from BBC Radio 1, MBW understands that Apple has pinched four producers from the station - including key talent from BBC Introducing.

One of the four producers, according to MBW, is James Bursey, Lowe's old producer. Bursey apparently left BBC last Friday and is flying to Los Angeles to "team up with Lowe". According to a tweet, Bursey left for the airport yesterday. However, Bursey's LinkedIn account still lists him as an employee of BBC Radio.

The other BBC Radio employees rumored to be on Apple's poach list include Natasha Lynch and Kieran Yeates, who are both apparently "star producers" at the BBC. Lynch was on the Guardians's Music Power 100 list in 2011 while Yeates is credited with building BBC Introducing, a radio show focused on up-and-coming music talent. However, Yeates' LinkedIn still lists him as a BBC Radio employee, as does Lynch's Twitter profile for her employment status. Finally, that one source tells MBW that there's an "exodus to Apple from Radio 1"

While it's difficult to confirm whether Apple has indeed made these hires, it's likely Apple is looking to beef up its music team as the launch of its new streaming service draws closer. A report last month revealed that the development of the revamped Apple-branded Beats music service is being led by Jimmy Iovine and Trent Reznor with has a focus on curated playlists. Alongside the new music service, Apple is said to be planning an enhanced version of iTunes Radio that's tailored toward regional markets and acts more like a radio station.

Rumors suggest that Apple's revamped music service will debut at this year's Worldwide Development Conference alongside a new streaming television service and a new Apple TV set-top box.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Hires More BBC Radio 1 Staff for New Music Service

 

[macsplusmacs]

I'm really starting to look forward to Apple Music. (or whatever its called)

 

[Fynd]

Can't wait for this, hope it's available in Canada on day one. Having a watch now, I imagine syncing these curated play lists will be easy.

 

[hortod1]

I assume "...tailored toward regional markets and acts more like a radio station" means commercials. Hope they're planning a subscription-based service to opt out of that.

 

[japanime]

What do you want to bet that the service includes a few "live" channels with deejays who speak with a British accent — but that the service isn't available in Great Britain.

 

[Col4bin]

Apple, do us all a favor and take Spotify's business model and emulate it, perhaps even making some additional improvements along the way. This is what must be done to be successful with this new music service launch. Every other subscription or free music service out there is terrible: Beats, Tidal, Rdio, etc...

 

[rp2011]

It really looks like they are working to add human element that has been missing from services so far. The mechanical script bases algorithms that are so cold and so far off base so much of the time.
I LOVE spotify, and their use user lists and their free model for basic services, but finding newer artists could be easier. We will never have to worry about the top artists or finding legacy artists, all services should be able to hit that massive bullseye do it well, it's the curation, human element and the sifting through the overwhelming amounts of new music and bringing up to the top that's missing. Hopefully that's the reason for getting top music industry talent on board.

 

[Reason077]

Apple, do us all a favor and take Spotify's business model and emulate it, perhaps even making some additional improvements along the way. This is what must be done to be successful with this new music service launch. Every other subscription or free music service out there is terrible: Beats, Tidal, Rdio, etc...

I do love Spotify. But if you want Spotify then you should just use Spotify.

If Apple are just going to create a Spotify clone then I think that would be pretty lame and a great missed opportunity.

Hiring these guys suggests that they're working on something more interesting.

 

[Ballis]

Apple, do us all a favor and take Spotify's business model and emulate it, perhaps even making some additional improvements along the way. This is what must be done to be successful with this new music service launch. Every other subscription or free music service out there is terrible: Beats, Tidal, Rdio, etc...

Id take Rdio over Spotify all day. But if you really think Spotify is all the rage, why would you want a copy? Just get Spotify then. Id rather have Apple make something unique.

 

[commander.data]

What do you want to bet that the service includes a few "live" channels with deejays who speak with a British accent — but that the service isn't available in Great Britain.

They could have Jony Ive narrate all the ads between songs.

 

[atrevers]

What do you want to bet that the service includes a few "live" channels with deejays who speak with a British accent — but that the service isn't available in Great Britain.

If that's their plan, they've made a huge error in hiring Zane Lowe...

 

[peterh988]

BBC radio 1 isn't interested in anyone over 25, so I hope that isn't being reflected in the source of the talent, otherwise it'll be filled with karaoke show winners 'music' and various other production line stuff.

I guess we'll know if 1 Direction are invited to the launch.

 

[Col4bin]

Id take Rdio over Spotify all day. But if you really think Spotify is all the rage, why would you want a copy? Just get Spotify then. Id rather have Apple make something unique.

Emulate Spotify's business model, yes, but also make enhancements. Plus it'll be Apple and full of uniqueness.

 

[gluckett]

Apple, do us all a favor and take Spotify's business model and emulate it, perhaps even making some additional improvements along the way. This is what must be done to be successful with this new music service launch. Every other subscription or free music service out there is terrible: Beats, Tidal, Rdio, etc...

Apple, please do NOT take Spotify's business model. They have destroyed their desktop app and have still not fixed it, even though there is a huge voice from the premium customer base that is falling on deaf ears.

 

[riverfreak]

Wait. These people didn't IMMEDIATELY update their LinkedIn and Twitter profiles?

Then surely it can't be true.

 

[krewger]

They could have Jony Ive narrate all the ads between songs.

Every ad will be Jony Ives saying "<insert company name here> painstaking worked over the last year to make this <insert product name here> thinner... never mind what the consumer needs or wants (battery life anyone?)."

If one didn't visually ever see Jony Ive, one might mistake him for mentally ill person constantly worried about their own body image and on a long dark path to anorexia. "Welcome to Anorexia Radio, where we only promote thin products displayed on top fashion models picked exclusively by our own Angela Ahrendts dancing with her solid 24K gold beats headphones on!"

 

[2457282]

When I think of BBC, I think news. Thats probably becasue in the US that is what we normally get, not music from the BBC. In any case it got me to wonder, what would it look like if Apple hired a news team and had a news channel for thier Apple TV or Apple Music product?

hmm.... I hear John Stewart is available

 

[Twimfy]

Jesus christ please no.

Radio 1 is just noise to me now and I'm only 29.

 

[SAIRUS]

Did they forget about Dre?

 

[Menel]

Did they forget about Dre?

Probably have to distance themselves because of how Dre made himself difficult and untrustworthy to work with.

Sounds like Trent Rezner replaced him.

 

[Eraserhead]

BBC radio 1 isn't interested in anyone over 25, so I hope that isn't being reflected in the source of the talent, otherwise it'll be filled with karaoke show winners 'music' and various other production line stuff.

I guess we'll know if 1 Direction are invited to the launch.

The average radio 1 listener is 32 - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ts-shake-station-bring-younger-listeners.html

And they are hiring the serious music guys, not the daytime DJs.

 

[TsMkLg068426]

It better be part of iTunes Match or else this streaming music is really useless not going to pay for another music app when it is part of APPLE now.

 

[Col4bin]

Apple, please do NOT take Spotify's business model. They have destroyed their desktop app and have still not fixed it, even though there is a huge voice from the premium customer base that is falling on deaf ears.

Blah, blah, blah…get a load of Larry Litteral over here. Sportify from a presentation/offering standpoint, sure. Plus, Apple's subtle touches will make it unique to their customers. (Whether or not you feel Spotify destroyed their desktop app is your problem.) But if you're looking for a comparison, Spotify is the most successful service to date, so not a bad place for Apple to start.

 

[gluckett]

Blah, blah, blah…get a load of Larry Litteral over here. Sportify from a presentation/offering standpoint, sure. Plus, Apple's subtle touches will make it unique to their customers. (Whether or not you feel Spotify destroyed their desktop app is your problem.) But if you're looking for a comparison, Spotify is the most successful service to date, so not a bad place for Apple to start.

Blah, blah, blah to you as well. I didn't say it was a bad place to start, I said I don't want them to follow the same model of starting out great, then completely destroying it. No need to be a jerk.

 

[Col4bin]

Blah, blah, blah to you as well. I didn't say it was a bad place to start, I said I don't want them to follow the same model of starting out great, then completely destroying it. No need to be a jerk.

Not being a jerk at all, Sally Sensitive. I'm simply stating that Apple has a tremendous opportunity to build upon the successes of its direct competition who've been in this streaming music industry longer. (And really, they have to according to the lastest figures showing YOY declining iTunes sales.) I'm by no means a Spotify power user, but do enjoy their services over Rdio, Beats and that putrid Tidal. On the downside, I personally don't like how Spotify cripples their app by forcing you to load playlists via desktop site only. So I'm very excited for Apple's offering as I know they will perfect its usability and feature-set, making for a blockbuster experience. You're a good guy Gluckett—I think we're finally on the same page. My work here is done.