Apple says 20,000 singers and songwriters release music on the streaming service every day.
NEW YORK — Apple Music is about to hit a huge milestone by offering its staggering 100 millionth song on the streaming service.
The music giant tells the Associated Press that internal data indicates that Apple Music will reach a heady mark on Monday. Every day, 20,000 singers and songwriters release music on the service.
“It’s a huge, huge number,” Rachel Newman, Apple’s global head of editorial and content, told the AP. “It really is more possible to create, record and release music than ever before in the history of music, which we think is pretty incredible.”
Apple Music says the milestone establishes it as the world’s largest music catalog, surpassing YouTube Music’s 80 million songs, Spotify’s 82 million tracks and podcasts, and Amazon Music’s 90 million songs.
While the actual song that will bring Apple Music over the threshold is unknown, there’s a good chance it won’t come from the US or even be in English as the service sees more and more music from all over the world.
When iTunes launched, the service had music in 200 languages and dialects, with half of the content in English. Now 40% of Apple Music’s offerings are in English, and the number of languages and dialects reaches 350. The platform’s top charts — once the territory of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Australia — are now filled with tunes from Japan, Colombia, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Korea.
An important milestone is fast approaching, as the globe is increasingly digitized. The number of songs on Apple Music has doubled over the past four years from 50 million in 2018, with the pandemic believed to have accelerated the timetable as people in isolation sought creative outlets.
Apple Music added that the 100 millionth song may be from an as-yet-unknown artist.
Apple Inc. launched iTunes in 2003 with 200,000 songs for its iPods and launched Apple Music seven years ago—it now powers the iPhone—with subscribers in 167 countries and territories.
He also says his customers don’t just listen to whatever’s new; they study artists’ back catalogues. In 2015, when Apple Music launched, the top 1,000 songs accounted for 20% of streams. Now they make up 10%. The song’s average release date is March 7, 2017, which is the number that listeners go back in time.
The music streamer is celebrating the milestone by launching a new editorial series on Monday called Apple Music Today. Streamers’ editors tell the story behind one song, new or old—now with 100 million to choose from every time.
“We think it’s both an opportunity for us to help connect all of our subscribers to music that they may have forgotten about or don’t know about,” Newman said. “And, just as importantly, finding a new platform for storytelling. We think that’s one of the things we do to keep the artistry in the music.”
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/nation-world/apple-music-milestone/507-78caeb2e-b998-4c3c-9cc7-4777ffe9bc1a
