Apple Bolsters Standalone Music with Classical Playlists

Apple Music has bolstered its standalone music offerings with the addition of classical playlists. The new playlists are designed to appeal to a wider range of music lovers, and they offer a great way to discover new classical music.

Apple Music’s new classical playlists

Apple Music has always had a strong focus on pop and hip-hop, but it looks like the company is now turning its attention to classical music. With the introduction of new classical playlists, Apple is giving classical music fans a reason to switch to its streaming service. The new playlists are curated by experts and feature both well-known and lesser-known pieces.

“Classical Essentials”

Apple Music’s new “Classical Essentials” playlists offer a great starting point for anyone looking to explore classical music. The playlists are divided into four sections – “Classical for Relaxation,” “Classical for Concentration,” “Classical for Bedtime,” and “Classical for Babies.” Each section contains a selection of well-known classical pieces, chosen to provide a particular mood or experience.

The “Classical for Relaxation” playlist, for example, includes calming pieces like Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” and Bach’s “Air on the G String.” The “Classical for Concentration” playlist, on the other hand, features more upbeat pieces like Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

Whether you’re looking to relax, focus, or just enjoy some classic tunes, Apple Music’s classical playlists are a great place to start.

“Classical Relaxation”

Apple Music has launched a new section devoted to classical music, bolstering its standalone music offerings with a selection of specially curated playlists.

The new section, which can be found under the “Genres” tab on the Apple Music app, includes a range of different playlists, from “Classical Relaxation” and “Focus & Concentration” to “Sleep & Relaxation” and “Upbeat Classical.”

Each playlist has been expertly curated by a team of classical music experts, and includes a mix of well-known pieces and lesser-known gems. The aim is to provide Apple Music users with a one-stop shop for all their classical music needs.

In addition to the new playlists, Apple Music’s classical section also features a range of guest editorials, artist interviews, and album reviews.

“Classical Hits”

Apple Music’s new classical playlists are designed to appeal to a range of listeners, from the casual fan to the experienced listener. The “Classical Hits” playlist features well-known pieces from the classical repertoire, while the “Bach to Beethoven” playlist focuses on works by those two composers. Other playlists in the series include “Romantic Classics,” “20th Century Classics,” and “Modern Classics.”

The reasoning behind the move

Apple has long had a difficult relationship with classical music. When the iTunes Store first launched, it was difficult to find anything beyond the Top 100. In the years since, the company has made some strides in catering to classical fans, but it has never been a focus. Until now.

Increasing interest in classical music

It would be easy to see Apple’s addition of classical music playlists as a response to the recent increase in interest in the genre. In the past few years, classical music has seen a resurgence in popularity, with streaming services like Spotify and Pandora seeing significant increases in listenership. This rise in popularity can be attributed to a number of factors, including the increased accessibility of streaming services and the increased exposure of classical music through popular culture.

Apple’s move to add classical music playlists to its Music app is likely intended to capitalise on this increase in interest. By offering users a curated selection of classical music, Apple is hoping to attract new users to its Music app and increase its market share. This strategy has already been successful for Apple in other genres, such as hip-hop and R&B, where it has been able to attract new listeners with its exclusive playlists.

A need for more dedicated classical music content

Apple today updated its Apple Music app with a new Classical Music section that includes playlists,Artist Spotlights, and more. Apple had been testing the addition of a standalone Classical Music section in the iOS 11.3 betas, but pulled it before the public release of iOS 11.3 in order to make some final tweaks.

The new Classical Music section can be found in the Browse tab of the Apple Music app on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch running iOS 11.3 or later, and it includes playlists curated by Apple’s team of music experts, Artist Spotlights that highlight lesser known composers and performers, and top charts.

How Apple’s playlists compare to other streaming services

Apple Music has been beefing up its playlist offerings lately with a slew of new options, including a dedicated Classical section. The company has also been working to improve its search engine, which should make finding specific tracks or artists easier. With these new additions, Apple is hoping to lure more users to its standalone music service. But how do its playlists compare to those offered by other streaming services?

Spotify

Though Spotify offers a comprehensive music streaming experience, it falls short when it comes to classical music. The service offers several genre-based playlists, but these are often populated with popular pieces that are not necessarily classical in nature. For instance, the “Classical for Studying” playlist includes works by John Adams, Philip Glass, and Max Richter—none of which would typically be considered classical music.

Apple Music, on the other hand, offers a number of dedicated playlists for classical music lovers. These range from “Essential Bach” and “Beethoven: The Late Works” to more unusual selections like “The Romantic Trumpet” and “20th-century French Opera Choruses.” In addition, Apple Music’s classical section includes a number of curated playlists put together by experts in the field.

Pandora

Pandora creates stations based on your musical preferences. You give the site or app a starting point — like a specific song, artist, or genre — and Pandora produces a mix of similar tunes for you to enjoy. The result is an experience that feels personal, almost like listening to old-time radio.

But Pandora’s not perfect. One issue: its mobile apps can be glitchy, and the company has been slow to add features that would make its service more competitive with the likes of Spotify and Apple Music.

Amazon Music

In recent years, Amazon has Prime Music, which comes as a part of its Prime membership. Unlimited subscribers can also choose from tens of millions of songs and listen to ad-free radio with unlimited skips. If you want to download songs and listen offline, you’ll need an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription, which costs $7.99 per month or $79 per year for non-Prime members, and $3.99 per month or $39 per year for Prime members.

What the future of streaming classical music looks like

Apple has been one of the few companies to have embraced classical music in the streaming era. The company has standalone playlists for various classical genres, and it also offers a comprehensive Classical section in its Apple Music app. This move indicates that Apple sees classical music as a viable genre in the streaming space.

More playlists and dedicated channels

Apple plans to bolster its standalone music streaming service with more playlists and dedicated channels for classical music lovers.

The move is part of the company’s ongoing effort to make Apple Music a more appealing option for users who are looking for an alternative to the likes of Spotify and Pandora.

Apple Music currently has a dedicated classical music section, but it is not as prominently featured as other genres on the service.

The company is said to be working on a refreshed design for the classical music section that will make it easier to browse and discover new music.

In addition, Apple is reportedly planning to launch a series of playlists and dedicated channels that will showcase different classical composers, performers, and styles.

apple is also said to be in talks with major record labels about licensing additional classical content for the service.

The company is expected to unveil its plans for Apple Music’s classical music offerings at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

Increased marketing and promotion

Apple is one of the many companies that have recognized the potential for growth in the classical music market. In 2017, they launched two new channels on their Apple Music streaming service, one devoted to opera and the other to symphonies. Earlier this year, they bolstered their commitment to classical music by signing an exclusive deal with Deutsche Grammophon, one of the world’s leading classical labels.

It’s not just major tech companies who are taking notice of the potential for growth in classical music streaming. Numerous start-ups have launched in recent years with the specific purpose of catering to this niche audience. Idagio, Primephonic, and Medici.tv are just a few of the many options now available to classical music lovers who want to stream their favorite music.

With so many choices now available, it can be difficult to know where to start. But whatever streaming service you choose, you can be sure that the future of classical music streaming is bright.