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BBC Radio DJ Zane Lowe Joining Apple's iTunes Radio Effort
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Agree. This does make iTunes Radio/ Beats Radio more alluring for me - while the free singles of the week were pretty good, the idea of having occasional recommended songs by Zane Lowe in the middle of my free Spotify-esque playlist seems like a decent compromise.
For those not from the UK BTW, Zane Lowe has hosted the "New Music" section on Radio 1 [BBC's modern music station] and is acknowledged as being a guru on this thing. Getting him for Apple seems a great move as the human factor may take streamed music into the stratosphere. It'll be interesting to see if radio presenters from other regions start to be poached.
Plus one for the Fab & Groove idea. Oh yes. Fellow "head" here. Big gap out there just now for the movement. Given that Ministry axed their entire D&B rosta and the scene's popularity at the moment!
I assumed that Apple had given up on iTunes radio given that they never made it available in the UK, and have since bought Beats.
Remember that time he did the breakfast show? Was a glorious run to work whilst it lasted
The thing is, you can easily get recommendations (in the form of playlists) from Zane Lowe and many other high profile radio presenters and music publications via other music streaming services:
https://play.spotify.com/user/bbc_p...e&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open
http://www.deezer.com/playlist/1116486631
So the benefit of in-house music curation, rather than creating a platform where by anyone can publish playlists onto that platform (like Spotify/Deezer/Google Play Music), is not particularly clear to me.
For me it's the fact you don't have to look elsewhere - it's there already, streamlining the process.
EDIT: It also brings a UK "brand" and a familiar voice to it, giving it the kind of legitimacy that Spotify doesn't have. For me, Spotify is not useful as I have a large collection already. If Apple brought Zane Lowe to an iTunes Radio/ Beats, then that would seem to me they're taking the "new music" aspect seriously and there's some TLC put into it.
EDIT: It also brings a UK "brand" and a familiar voice to it, giving it the kind of legitimacy that Spotify doesn't have. For me, Spotify is not useful as I have a large collection already. If Apple brought Zane Lowe to an iTunes Radio/ Beats, then that would seem to me they're taking the "new music" aspect seriously and there's some TLC put into it.
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To be fair I think that's more an issue of you growing out of their target demographic though
thats exactly what I was thinking and was about to respond with. While the breakfast show no longer grabs my attention, the rest still does, but thats more about my dislike for Grimmy and his delivery style (i.e. aimed at teenagers mostly, which I am definitely not and haven't been for over a decade now).
I've got much more interest personally in the concept of iTunes radio then I have in Beats. If I could, since iTunes radio isn't available where I live and don't want to bother with multiple accounts, I'd use Radio as my source of inspiration and buy the music I like. So I really hope this means we'll see more of iTunes radio.
Does anyone else get a sense that Apple isn't only integrating the iTunes/Beats experience but possibly creating their own Sirius XM style service?
I could see a handful of 'live' stations that Apple allows their artist friends to control mixed in with the iTunes Radio stations, with customizable Beats-style stations. Apple doesn't need satellites to take over satellite radio, just bandwidth and 800m registered users.
I could see a handful of 'live' stations that Apple allows their artist friends to control mixed in with the iTunes Radio stations, with customizable Beats-style stations. Apple doesn't need satellites to take over satellite radio, just bandwidth and 800m registered users.
Apple generated $4.485 billion from iTunes, software & services last year. iTunes is still profitable... it's still the world's largest music retailer.
As people are also interested in streaming music, Apple are entering this market, too. If it wasn't profitable, they wouldn't enter it.
Movies and Music are apples and oranges. TV didn't kill radio. To say music profit will go away is one thing, but to blame "video" as the cause is ridiculous.
I'm curious: You seem to post this in every iTunes/Beats Music thread - has anyone agreed with you yet?
Due to the lack of iTunes Radio rollout world wide, I wouldn't be surprised to see it dropped soon and Apple to focus on Beats streaming service.
Apple have become everything they despised
This is so depressing.
Zane is the greatest radio presenter of all time - I mean he launches careers, that shows the power he has, and it's due to his amazing abilities with radio.
I'm sure he'll be fine on iTunes Radio.. but what about people without iOS, or even more broadly, without data/cellular connection?
He is listened to by millions worldwide, and the defining man of Radio 1. I don't care what Apple offered him, I'm so disappointed he would move away from ad-free, international radio available on any device, to what is going to be an extremely limited service. (There are around 11 million iOS users in the UK, but over 15 million Radio 1 listeners in the UK alone, and it's available nationwide on FM).
I just wish Apple had had more sense to do some kind of partnership, maybe like a future push from Podcasts, (similar to what Blinkbox Music has been doing) than to do this corporate and cold move, of buying the best and making them device exclusive. Apple is no longer the company I've admired all my life, after all, how can you be thinking differently if you're the largest company in the World. How sad
This is so depressing.
Zane is the greatest radio presenter of all time - I mean he launches careers, that shows the power he has, and it's due to his amazing abilities with radio.
I'm sure he'll be fine on iTunes Radio.. but what about people without iOS, or even more broadly, without data/cellular connection?
He is listened to by millions worldwide, and the defining man of Radio 1. I don't care what Apple offered him, I'm so disappointed he would move away from ad-free, international radio available on any device, to what is going to be an extremely limited service. (There are around 11 million iOS users in the UK, but over 15 million Radio 1 listeners in the UK alone, and it's available nationwide on FM).
I just wish Apple had had more sense to do some kind of partnership, maybe like a future push from Podcasts, (similar to what Blinkbox Music has been doing) than to do this corporate and cold move, of buying the best and making them device exclusive. Apple is no longer the company I've admired all my life, after all, how can you be thinking differently if you're the largest company in the World. How sad
Utterly ridiculous thing to say. BILLIONS of people listen to music way more often than watching stuff.
You can work and listen... you can't watch. Certainly would be career limiting for say a truck driver or a surgeon.
This is so depressing.
Zane is the greatest radio presenter of all time - I mean he launches careers, that shows the power he has, and it's due to his amazing abilities with radio.
I'm sure he'll be fine on iTunes Radio.. but what about people without iOS, or even more broadly, without data/cellular connection?
He is listened to by millions worldwide, and the defining man of Radio 1. I don't care what Apple offered him, I'm so disappointed he would move away from ad-free, international radio available on any device, to what is going to be an extremely limited service. (There are around 11 million iOS users in the UK, but over 15 million Radio 1 listeners in the UK alone, and it's available nationwide on FM).
I just wish Apple had had more sense to do some kind of partnership, maybe like a future push from Podcasts, (similar to what Blinkbox Music has been doing) than to do this corporate and cold move, of buying the best and making them device exclusive. Apple is no longer the company I've admired all my life, after all, how can you be thinking differently if you're the largest company in the World. How sad
well there are 18 million iPads alone in the UK... And what do you think he would be able to do if he is worldwide? How many decent Bands will he bring to to the masses then?
Apple would still be ad free I am sure - they are not google.
As has already pointed out... it's likely beats will be available on Android / windows too...
This is so depressing.
Zane is the greatest radio presenter of all time - I mean he launches careers, that shows the power he has, and it's due to his amazing abilities with radio.
I'm sure he'll be fine on iTunes Radio.. but what about people without iOS, or even more broadly, without data/cellular connection?
He is listened to by millions worldwide, and the defining man of Radio 1. I don't care what Apple offered him, I'm so disappointed he would move away from ad-free, international radio available on any device, to what is going to be an extremely limited service. (There are around 11 million iOS users in the UK, but over 15 million Radio 1 listeners in the UK alone, and it's available nationwide on FM).
I just wish Apple had had more sense to do some kind of partnership, maybe like a future push from Podcasts, (similar to what Blinkbox Music has been doing) than to do this corporate and cold move, of buying the best and making them device exclusive. Apple is no longer the company I've admired all my life, after all, how can you be thinking differently if you're the largest company in the World. How sad
The flaw with your thinking is, that you (and we) do not know what the deal involves fully yet. He's a powerful force in Music in the UK, Apple won't be squandering his talents, that's for sure. I suspect it's going to be a massive role behind the scenes. Plus it's a sign that the UK is finally getting iTunes Radio, or the new improved Beats/iTunes Radio mix, that people have been suspecting for a while.
Additionally, a lot of stuff he has done, outside of his show, he will probably get to do still, like producing and live DJ-ing. I suspect that he will also continue to introduce new music to people, with a prominent podcast or something.
Really not so much in the evenings. I know a lot of people think there's no difference between Radio 1 and commercial radio, but its usually people who don't listen to it. And whilst there's a bit of banter and nonsense during the day, the evening shows are for me about the music, and a lot of stuff commercial radio would never go near. I think what's good about R1 though is the mix of the evening shows which cover more niche and off the beaten path music, and how it filters through to the daytime shows. I suppose someone like Ben Howard is a great example of someone getting picked up first on someone like Zane's show, starts getting played more during the day, and ends up being pretty big.
Not a regular listerner to Zane's show, but have always loved his sheer enthusiasm for a wide range of good music, and discovered a load of good stuff over the years, so will really miss him. It will be interesting to see what he does at Apple - whether it will be an off air role, or if there will be some element of broadcasting on any future version of iTunes Radio.
And definitely interesting to see what they come up with over the next year or so.
Hmmmm, Zane Lowe eh?
Apparently a great loss to Radio 1, funny thing being this guy rarely brings anything "new" to the table... Rather his team of researchers do.
But I digress, anyone with any music prowess about them ditched Radio 1 around 10 years ago... From the BBC perspective when it comes the discerning music listener then it's definitely all about 6 Music, and has been since its launch back in 2002.
Yes, you could argue it's all about demographics but at the end of the day Lowe was all about new music, and given he's allegedly in the business himself then he really should know better.
I would rather bludgeon my own ears with rusty screwdrivers than listen to Radio 1... It's that bad!
Lord knows what he's going to attempt to bring to the table over at Apple.
Apparently a great loss to Radio 1, funny thing being this guy rarely brings anything "new" to the table... Rather his team of researchers do.
But I digress, anyone with any music prowess about them ditched Radio 1 around 10 years ago... From the BBC perspective when it comes the discerning music listener then it's definitely all about 6 Music, and has been since its launch back in 2002.
Yes, you could argue it's all about demographics but at the end of the day Lowe was all about new music, and given he's allegedly in the business himself then he really should know better.
I would rather bludgeon my own ears with rusty screwdrivers than listen to Radio 1... It's that bad!
Lord knows what he's going to attempt to bring to the table over at Apple.