Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
Beats 1 to Include Programming Blocks From Celebrities Like Elton John, Pharrell, and Dr. Dre
News has been swirling around the impending launch of Apple's new streaming music service, Apple Music, for a few weeks now. This morning, it was revealed that rapper Eminem will be the first official guest interviewed by DJ Zane Lowe on the Beats 1 live 24/7 radio show, setting up for a launch next Tuesday, June 30. Today, thanks to an in-depth post from The New York Times, new details regarding the show's programming schedule and celebrity partners have been revealed.
Lowe envisions Beats 1 as a sort of social media platform for music, a place where users worldwide can flock to in search of new song discoveries and celebrity interviews and news, akin to platforms like Twitter and Instagram. To tackle such a task, Beats 1 will be broken down into one- and two-hour slots, sometimes hosted and produced by celebrities and musicians themselves.
The original idea for Beats 1 came from musician -- and key designer of Apple Music -- Trent Reznor, who hoped to expand the window of each individual user's musical tastes, fearing a lack of discovery and creativity in the current landscape of digital downloads. Listening to Lowe's own BBC-hosted radio show led Reznor to eventually helping Apple form and create the idea of Apple Music, and specifically a worldwide "monoculture" of a radio show in Beats 1. “Part of the last three months has been desperately trying to come up with a new word that’s not radio,” Lowe mentioned to The New York Times. “We couldn’t do it.”
Apple Music has faced a few hurdles in the weeks leading up to its big debut, namely in the public criticism of its three-month free trial by musician Taylor Swift, followed immediately by the company's reversal on its no-royalties policy during that period. Those interested should check out The New York Times' full-length feature on Zane Lowe and his addition to Apple Music, which is just five days away from launch.
Lowe envisions Beats 1 as a sort of social media platform for music, a place where users worldwide can flock to in search of new song discoveries and celebrity interviews and news, akin to platforms like Twitter and Instagram. To tackle such a task, Beats 1 will be broken down into one- and two-hour slots, sometimes hosted and produced by celebrities and musicians themselves.
“Everyone keeps going to their devices because of fear of missing out,” he said. “I’m constantly going on Instagram, Twitter, wondering what’s going on in my friends’ lives. What am I missing? I want that for radio. What’s on right now, right now, that I didn’t know I wanted to listen to?”Small hints were given to the specificities of some of Beats 1's shows, including a Dr. Dre-hosted hour called "The Pharmacy," and a smash-up between eclectic oldies and modern classics hosted by Elton John, suitably titled "Elton John's Rocket Hour." Other celebrity partners with planned shows include Pharrell and Drake, the former with a planned exclusive single for the service and the latter publicly supporting Apple Music on stage at WWDC this year.
To keep Beats 1 sounding fresh around the world, the station will alternate one- and two-hour programming blocks by established broadcasters with those by musicians and celebrities, who will host and plan the shows themselves. Among the names on board: the teen actor Jaden Smith, the alternative singer St. Vincent, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and the British electronic duo Disclosure.
The original idea for Beats 1 came from musician -- and key designer of Apple Music -- Trent Reznor, who hoped to expand the window of each individual user's musical tastes, fearing a lack of discovery and creativity in the current landscape of digital downloads. Listening to Lowe's own BBC-hosted radio show led Reznor to eventually helping Apple form and create the idea of Apple Music, and specifically a worldwide "monoculture" of a radio show in Beats 1. “Part of the last three months has been desperately trying to come up with a new word that’s not radio,” Lowe mentioned to The New York Times. “We couldn’t do it.”
Apple Music has faced a few hurdles in the weeks leading up to its big debut, namely in the public criticism of its three-month free trial by musician Taylor Swift, followed immediately by the company's reversal on its no-royalties policy during that period. Those interested should check out The New York Times' full-length feature on Zane Lowe and his addition to Apple Music, which is just five days away from launch.
Tags: Apple Music Guide, Beats 1
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54 months ago
This is just what I want when I yearn for music...to listen to people talking. Brilliant idea!
54 months ago
The public's infatuation with celebrities is one of the reasons why it's terrifying. Apple pandering to this crowd isn't surprising, just disappointing. There are many more worthwhile features (Docker kernel support on OS X, iConnect metrics, better curation and promotion on the app store) that actually mean something with respect to pushing computing/humanity forward, that deserve resources instead of this.
This is why I haven't given up on Google.
(The public is also terrifyingly stupid)
This is why I haven't given up on Google.
(The public is also terrifyingly stupid)
54 months ago
Of all the failed Jobs' projects you could avenge, you had to choose Ping.
Aw damn...
Aw damn...
54 months ago
Didn't they tout this as live 24 hours a day?
If interviews etc are pre-recorded, It's not live then is it?
54 months ago
Didn't they tout this as live 24 hours a day?
If interviews etc are pre-recorded, It's not live then is it?
If interviews etc are pre-recorded, It's not live then is it?
54 months ago
I think getting Trent on board was a huge success of that $3 billion purchase. I think most are underestimating his worth in the recording industry.
54 months ago
And that's why it's great that you, and others, have a choice available. You can listen to Beats 1, or, you can listen to streaming music. Or listen to nothing.
Or listen to music I purchased - internet and monthly fees not required.Ping failed - hey let's bring back Ping! Not interested in any of this. I gave up radio long ago. I have no desire to go back.
54 months ago
I think getting Trent on board was a huge success of that $3 billion purchase. I think most are underestimating his worth in the recording industry.
Yes, I'm very much hoping we get to hear him on Beats 1 as well.I'm convinced that the WWDC Keynote would have went 1000 times better if they would have just had him to the "industry introduction" before handing it off to Eddy Cue.
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