Report Claims Beats Acquisition to Bring "Culturally Aware" Managers to Apple, Manage Subscription Music Transition

[JoshAlfie]

OMG. That's right, it's always about about racism isn't it? This a a terrible move by Apple. Being associated with the trashy ghetto scene is bad news. Trash is bad whether it's white trash or black trash.

Beats headphones are not cheap therefore the brand appeals to people with money. People with money are not trash. So how can you say Beats is trash even if you may not like the sound quality?

Hip hop is not a "trashy ghetto scene". There are many brilliant poets in hip hop. Your comments are so full of ignorance and arrogance (the worst combination) that they are frustrating and offensive.

Who are you to say what's trash and what's not? Please do us (and everyone else who shares your naive and spiteful opinion) all a favour and get off of your high horse.

 

[osofast240sx]

Why does Apple even need to go after the headphone market? It's saturated. On the high end you have Sennheiser, Grado, Audeze and a couple of others that make the seriously nice products that cater to the serious listeners.

I see Beats as a fad more than the norm. Bose used to be a big name in the audio industry, but they have lost a lot of their cache in the audio for the masses.

The problem with the masses is that they don't know how to judge good audio. Example is your typical rap/hip hop album doesn't even use REAL musical instruments, it's all pretty much artificial noises. I feel sorry for these kids in a way because they are looking up to rappers like they have something valuable to offer, when all they do is promote illiteracy in both general education and music and the rest of the garbage they stand for.

The kids need to grow up listening to the master musicians of the world instead of buying into the current pop culture. It's gone so downhill compared to 30 or 40 years ago. These new acts aren't producing any "classic/timeless" music. What a shame.

you are completely ignorant I have been plenty of studio sessions where live instruments including violins have used. I feel sorry for you for not understanding what you're saying.

 

[Rogifan]

Uhhh...



So I will ask again, but this time less subtly: was Apple "pandering" to white people over the age of 50 when they made such a big deal about carrying the Beatles catalog?

Hey I'm not the one suggesting Apple needs to be more "culturally aware" or that acquiring Beats is a good idea because it will potentially give them access/make them look "cool" to a certain demographic. To me that IS pandering. And is not even remotely the same as heavily promoting exclusive content.

 

[E.Lizardo]

You make yourself look so foolish. . . You should do minimal research before attempting to look cool buddy.



Lol.

http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/macklemore-ryan-lewis-the-heist#_

He wanted to live.

 

[DominicaDaveGT]

This thread is disheartening

I read these forums daily and have never posted, but I couldn't leave alone the ignorance displayed on this thread. The remarks that Apple is pandering to "African Americans" or "a certain demographic" because they hired a black executive is perhaps unintentionally racist and very sad. It suggests that his ethnicity is his primary quality as a professional despite that his work was seminal in fomenting modern popular music (he led the transition from sample-based hip-hop beats to midi & synth driven composed beats). Hip-Hop (even though current popular hip-hop has been reduced to trash) has been a huge part of American and worldwide culture for the last several decades, it is not some obscure genre only appreciated by American blacks.

The funniest thing to me about all of this is that Dr Dre is relatively old, and hasn't been in the limelight for almost two decades. The "amazing" album he's supposedly been working on for over a decade never came out and I do not believe he can pull off anything musically anymore which would be embraced by modern popular culture (partly him, partly pop music blows today). I am surprised his name worked so well pulling off the Beats headphones as anyone 15 and younger may not even know his music. As disappointing as I find the acquisition, maybe Apple is right that he was clever enough to pull it off and they want his help to pull of their own objectives.

And yes, agreeing with so many on this forum, as someone who has done audio recording for years, Beats headphones are trash compared to everything else available at the pricepoint. Anyone spending twice the price of the Sony MDR7506s for these things purchased them because of the trend and not because they spent a minute looking into which headphones sound good. Some people buy Apple products for this reason and that trend is surely driving some of their recent decisions that make it feel that Apple no longer care about professional and 'power' users.

 

[scottsjack]

Hip hop is not a "trashy ghetto scene". There are many brilliant poets in hip hop. Your comments are so full of ignorance and arrogance (the worst combination) that they are frustrating and offensive.

Who are you to say what's trash and what's not? Please do us (and everyone else who shares your naive and spiteful opinion) all a favour and get off of your high horse.

"Brilliant poets" in hip hop? Loud, crashing bass and the n-word in every other sentence. . . I'm impressed.

Who am I to say what's trash and what's not? I'm a consumer and Apple fan expressing an opinion. Get used to it, it doesn't have to hurt.

 

[JoshAlfie]

The problem with the masses is that they don't know how to judge good audio. Example is your typical rap/hip hop album doesn't even use REAL musical instruments, it's all pretty much artificial noises. I feel sorry for these kids in a way because they are looking up to rappers like they have something valuable to offer, when all they do is promote illiteracy in both general education and music and the rest of the garbage they stand for.

The kids need to grow up listening to the master musicians of the world instead of buying into the current pop culture. It's gone so downhill compared to 30 or 40 years ago. These new acts aren't producing any "classic/timeless" music. What a shame.

You're so passionate about you're own musical tastes which is commendable but it makes you not even realise how draconian you are behaving.

"The kids need to grow up listening". So you know what everyone "needs". I'm sorry but I chose not to live under your dictatorship. I encourage diversity of opinions and tastes in my life.

You clearly are so into your own reality that you cannot see the beauty in anything that does not exist in your own reality. You want "real" instruments listen to Kanye West who hires his own 11 piece string orchestra. "Garbage they stand for"? Clearly you've never heard the strong message behind Eminem's Lose Yourself.

I've had enough with people like you who don't know or appreciate anything beyond your own experience yet still wish to push your views on other people as being the Law that we all must follow.

 

[69Mustang]

Don't throw race into this.

Ok I think just about vomited my dinner. So basically Apple is turning into a fashion company and using Beats to try and inject "cool" into the company, while also pandering to African-Americans and teenagers. #vomit

If this was Samsung instead of Apple people would be (rightly so) laughing their arses off. Pretty sad and pathetic that Apple thinks they need to buy cool. And what is this culturally aware nonsense? Make a great product and people will buy it. Don't pander to specific races/demographics.

How did I do that?

^^Like that. Additionally a lot your quotes on this subject from the onset of this announcement have been "colored" with overtones. Not exactly sure why. I know your comments lean pro Apple, but I've never before read any comment from you that even hinted at race; until Beats. Sort of surprised me to be honest.

Just so you, Beats does have appeal beyond the African American/urban/hip-hop/rap demographic. Oh, and teens, you did mention teens.

I will apologize to you though. I am probably projecting my disappointment with fellow posters onto you and your post. I seriously thought the MR crowd was a little more evolved. I guess we are like every other forum on the internet. A mix of the good, bad, and the ugly.

 

[panther quest]

Entertainment industry executives in a nutshell.

Cultural relevance from a man in his 60's in a cat t-shirt....

 

[E.Lizardo]

Beats headphones are not cheap therefore the brand appeals to people with money. People with money are not trash. So how can you say Beats is trash even if you may not like the sound quality?

Hip hop is not a "trashy ghetto scene". There are many brilliant poets in hip hop. Your comments are so full of ignorance and arrogance (the worst combination) that they are frustrating and offensive.

Who are you to say what's trash and what's not? Please do us (and everyone else who shares your naive and spiteful opinion) all a favour and get off of your high horse.

LOL you haven't been around much have you?

 

[panther quest]

You think Bose can be of use negotiating with record companies and entertainment conglomerates?

edit -- Also they don't have an established streaming service.

Wouldn't partnering with a real sound company like Bose be a more logical choice? Apple, do you want to procure quality sound designs, or gimmicks? Apple is possibly making this move because they've lost a good chunk of the hip-hop/rap generation to the Samsung/Android phones

 

[JoshAlfie]

"Brilliant poets" in hip hop? Loud, crashing bass and the n-word in every other sentence. . . I'm impressed.

Who am I to say what's trash and what's not? I'm a consumer and Apple fan expressing an opinion. Get used to it, it doesn't have to hurt.

Once again you speak out of generalities. The great hip hop artists are poets and have many songs that send strong messages.

I never understand how people can get so emotional over a topic that they justify expressing baseless opinions. I guess there is little incentive over the internet for rational thinking when no one is in your face to call you on your garbage. It's all too easy to just speak out of your behind without feeling accountable for what you say.

 

[StuddedLeather]

I'm still confused as to why people think Apple cares about a certain demographics approval. LOL! "Give Apple more access to (insert race)" WHAT? Completely false.

I'll repeat. . . "if people couldn't afford Apple prior to this news guess what, they still won't be able to afford it". Macs primarily.

I'm a Dominican/Black-American from New York and guess what, I can afford Apple! I don't listen to Hip-Hop, though I won't deny it's worldwide influence. I've been a loyal Apple supporter since about 2005 (I'm only 24). I've had an iPhone since launch, have an iPad and a Mac. Apple has appealed to me long before this acquisition and they will continue to do so.

This isn't about the headphones though for the 100th time. Some may say Tim is silly or isn't a visionary but if you can't see that content will shift to a subscription future, maybe you're not the visionaries.

 

[JoshAlfie]

LOL you haven't been around much have you?

He was implying trailer trash. People who live in ghettos and have no money.

But you already knew that and are just trying to be smart. Well done.

 

[Yvan256]

If you use and mix loops in garage band or logic, you are using techniques created and inspired by hip-hop. That is a fact.

What you create may or may not be any good, but you cannot deny hip-hop's influence in that regard.

I guess you're too young to know about trackers. All the first MODs and S3Ms sure ain't hip-hop.

 

[DakotaGuy]

Wouldn't partnering with a real sound company like Bose be a more logical choice? Apple, do you want to procure quality sound designs, or gimmicks? Apple is possibly making this move because they've lost a good chunk of the hip-hop/rap generation to the Samsung/Android phones

I happen to really like Bose sound, but I know not everyone shares that opinion. As far as design and style is concerned Bose is a much better match for Apple, however it's hard to pull in new customers that might like the Beats style if you partner with someone that basically shares your aesthetics.

Apple probably wants to actually purchase an audio company instead of just partnering and I doubt MIT is even allowed to sell their majority interest in Bose since it was willed to them by Dr. Bose in 2011. Bose is a private company and I highly doubt you'll ever see it put up for sale.

 

[perealb]

Write an article for every possible outcome for this deal - even the ones that make no sense. Once deal is done, we know facts and why it happened, MacRumors is covered with at least one article with the right prediction.

 

[osofast240sx]

I happen to really like Bose sound, but I know not everyone shares that opinion. As far as design and style is concerned Bose is a much better match for Apple, however it's hard to pull in new customers that might like the Beats style if you partner with someone that basically shares your aesthetics.

Apple probably wants to actually purchase an audio company instead of just partnering and I doubt MIT is even allowed to sell their majority interest in Bose since it was willed to them by Dr. Bose in 2011. Bose is a private company and I highly doubt you'll ever see it put up for sale.

Are you talking about? This is not about Speakers,!SMH

 

[Fairfax]

I have regularly visited this forum but have never commented before. It is amazing the underlying tone of the comments by some, particularly in reference to Dr. Dre. Apple currently sells the Beats by Dr. Dre product in it stores. So it is clearly not an issue of the product being associated with Apple. The thought of Dr. Dre earning so much from this deal, or his association with the executives at Apple makes some on this forum want to vomit. If it was only Jim Lovine, not so much of a problem.

You got that right, those same people would prefer if Dre was to sweep the floors at Apple at night while Jimmy, Tim and the others take care of business during the day.

 

[DakotaGuy]

Are you talking about? This is not about Speakers,!SMH

I was addressing the person who thought Apple should partner with Bose and just stated the reasons that would never happen. That's all.

 

[flatfoot99]

If Tim Cook thinks the cool brands are Nike and Beats he is so out of touch with whats happening in the world.

Stinks of desperation to me.

Didn't Apple once set the trend and not chase the trends .

Yes it really feels like that doesnt it...

 

[Rogifan]

^^Like that. Additionally a lot your quotes on this subject from the onset of this announcement have been "colored" with overtones. Not exactly sure why. I know your comments lean pro Apple, but I've never before read any comment from you that even hinted at race; until Beats. Sort of surprised me to be honest.

Just so you, Beats does have appeal beyond the African American/urban/hip-hop/rap demographic. Oh, and teens, you did mention teens.

I will apologize to you though. I am probably projecting my disappointment with fellow posters onto you and your post. I seriously thought the MR crowd was a little more evolved. I guess we are like every other forum on the internet. A mix of the good, bad, and the ugly.

The only reason I'm even mentioning race pandering is because others here (and elsewhere) are suggesting this is a good idea precisely because Dre is African-American and the Beats demographic skews towards the teen/rap/hip hop crowd. As if Apple currently is just for rich white people and buying Beats will give them some "cred" with not rich white people. In fact I've seen some posts with a photo of Apple's executive page pointing out that everyone on it is middle aged white dude. That is brining race into the discussion.

 

[flatfoot99]

I'm going to go ahead and assume you're not a Millennial. As a Millennial, I can assure you, both Nike and Beats are extremely "what's happening" in our world. I don't have a male friend who doesn't wear knee high Nike socks or have Nike slides and a pair of Beats. Most of those same guys have iPhones.

You're kind of proving the point.

Maybe right now but that stuff can go out of style in an instance. Slap a rappers or sport athlete name on a product and certain groups will eat it up.... even riot at the store on opening night! If this is the direction apple is really taking, count me out.

 

[Crosscreek]

Spotify would have been a better acquisition in my opinion with an excellent music streaming app and some really quality people .....

but they don't have Jimmy and the Doc that are great friends of Apple execs and some of the beats people are former Apple people that they would like back.

Apple execs are the only ones that know why and they could care less how their customer base feels because what is good for Apple is good for us. :roll eyes:

With that said lets get some new innovation going with the Mac and give me a new Mini.

 

[morphineseason]

Apparently, pushing a brand that emphasizes style over substance and getting endorsements from mainstream celebrities qualifies as "culturally aware."

God, this makes me sick.

Steve Jobs would never..... oh wait