With Apple’s new subscription-based streaming music service launching early next week, the company is still seeking a producer for Apple Music to act as the point person for curating content as well as producing original content for the service’s streaming radio station called Beats 1.
The company is looking to fill the role of Apple Music Producer, which it refers to as a “definitive point person” for many design, UI, editorial, software, and marketing teams working on “important content and editorial initiatives within the music app.” Apple also notes that the producer will “particularly focus on original content and Beats 1.” While we knew that Apple’s new service would heavily rely on human curated content, the job gives us a look into how Apple plans to keep the service fresh with a dedicated producer focusing on curating content and producing original material for both the paid service within the iOS 8.4 Music app and iTunes and on the free Beats 1 radio station. The latter, a 24/7 live streaming radio station with live hosts, won’t require a subscription for users to access and looks to be something that Apple will promote as a main draw for the service.
As for the original and curated content the Apple Music Producer might be responsible for, Apple previously announced it hired famed BBC DJ Zane Lowe for its 24/7 streaming radio station called Beats 1 while the DJ has recently been teasing exclusive content coming to the service including interviews scheduled with high-profile artists such as Eminem. Lowe will bring on other hosts to round out the 24/7 lineup and those will reportedly include celebrity guest shows from the likes of Dr. Dre, Drake, and Elton John.
Part of the Apple Music Producer’s job will be to “project manage high-profile pages and promotions within the music app as well as for Beats 1.” The high-profile pages likely refers to Apple’s Music’s Connect feature that will allow artists (or their representatives) to upload content and connect with fans through artist profile pages with a social media type experience.
While Apple will let any artist on Apple Music manage their profile page and upload content, it sounds like its editorial team will focus on working with high-profile artists to promote great content and likely promote it in the Music app and iTunes where users access Apple Music. Allowing artists to upload everything from on-the-fly photos to audio snippets and videos to their profile will also give the company a ton of original content to pick from and present to users. Where that leaves independent artist profile pages is unclear.
The biggest topic of conversation leading up to the launch of Apple Music on June 30th is the company’s decision to reverse its policy on royalties for the three-month free trial period, followed by news that several artists and labels have signed-on including long-time streaming service holdout Taylor Swift. Other competiting streaming services are preparing changes and new features to combat the Apple Music launch and stay competitive, including Spotify rolling out its own 3-month free trial.
Apple’s human curated approach to Apple Music also appears to be a strategy it’s taking with its other content services. It recently started adding more human curated content to the App Store, and we reported earlier this month that the company was hiring human editors for its Apple News service arriving with iOS 9 this fall.
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This thing’s gonna be huge
yup
I thought this was Trent Reznor’s job???
Thought wrong
I honestly have no issue with the algorithms or whatever Spotify uses for generating suggested songs or radio stations. I’ve discovered plenty of great music.
That’s great for you, but many of us are not fond of mainstream, top-20 playlists promoted by record labels focused solely on creating top selling hits.
Neither am I. Last album I listened to was on Spotify was Especially for You by the band 35007. There are tons of obscure unknown bands on Spotify. I’m sure Apple Music will be the same… Beats 1 Radio probably not so much.
good liink
For such an important position, I’d have thought a producer would have been identified long ago. But given the circumstances, thanks, I’ll take the job.
Four days before launch of a music service focused on music curation and only now are they looking for someone to perform that function?
Beats 1 will cater to the masses with that garbage top 40 cookie cutter music. The rest of the music service will be on par with Pandora, Spotify, etc…
have you even listened to zane lowe or ebro shows?
you wouldn’t be saying that is you had.
Beats 1 for the time being will probably be more akin to the best shows serious xm has to offer, but 24/7, with the possibility to add more stations and become the new serious xm later down the road.
As for the streaming service, it will be pretty similar to those other companies because that’s what streaming is, not a lot of innovation can be done there. Although the curated playlists, along with Apple’s integration with iTunes, Siri, and the rest of the Music app will definitely all be added benefits that those other companies simply aren’t in a position to offer.
The reason why Apple Music is going to be a huge success is that they can produce polished services that work together holistically for the consumer in the kind of way that only Apple is capably of creating. Other companies could do one or two things, but this service is at least the beginning of the be-all end-all single service that fans will need, to get and do everything they want.
They are making Beats 1 and Connect completely free to non subscribers. Those are the two services that will put them in a different conversation and category to the likes of Spotify and Pandora.
I don’t care for radio hosts or listen to them. I just want music. Besides, NONE of these DJ’s/hosts will cater to MY music choice. I listen to Electronic Dance Music, more specifically, Techno, Tech House, Deep House, Minimal, none of that mainstream radio stuff, so I have ZERO interest in Beats 1.
Even Sirius XM’s (not Serious) BPM and Electric Area stations don’t offer all the music I listen to. So glad for iTunes Radio and Podcasts, Pandora, etc..
I’m sure Apple’s music service will include some EDM, House, Techno, etc., but it will all be lumped under some generic genre like “dance” or “electronica” making it impossible to sort through, plus their selection will be both limited and outdated.
For this type of music you’re far better off with something like SoundCloud, Beatport Pro and Traxsource. The latter is fantastic for their selection, organization, timeliness, and access to an infinite list of top tracks for every conceivable sub-genre. But they are not a streaming service, so to listen to the entire tracks you have to buy them at up to $3 a pop. That’s where many DJs shop.
@freediverx iTunes Radio DOES have plenty of that music selection and I use it regularly along with Pandora. It’s just playlists according to genre, artists, etc.. I also get great weekly/monthly podcasts from some of my favorite DJs as well.
For those of us that love the underground sound, Beats 1 will be useless, but Apple Music in general will still offer plenty of underground music for us. We just won’t be getting a dedicated station for EDM in general with human curation.
What are some of your favorite podcasts? I’ve been digging Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy for a long time.
Here are some of my fav podcasts.
http://s4.postimg.org/k4gb87rjx/IMG_5721.png
Rhapsody has the best human-curated playlists, IMHO.
I don’t doubt you’re happy with them, but the quality of a music service’s human-curated playlists is highly subjective and will vary depending on the type of music you’re into. I know a lot of people who love Pandora, but they all listen to top-40 and older music.