Jimmy Iovine: Apple Music will offer a pop cultural experience

Apple Music, it seems, won’t just be about music. According to Apple executive Jimmy Iovine, they want to offer “an entire cultural, pop cultural experience, and that happens to include audio and video.” And he doesn’t mean just music videos, either. Iovine believes they need more than just songs to grow the service, especially since they’re going up against the likes of Spotify and Pandora.

According to Hollywood Reporter, one of the shows that could make it to Apple Music is the “dark drama” series Vital Signs, which is produced and starred by Dr. Dre. It could even be released all at once, much like what Netflix and Amazon does. We know Apple already acquired Carpool Karaoke and it also has an unscripted series in the works about competitive app development called Planet of the Apps.

Source: 9to5Mac

Apple Music’s version of ‘Carpool Karaoke’ will have 16 different hosts

The version of Carpool Karaoke that you know won’t quite be the same under Apple’s wings. According to the show’s executive producer Ben Winston, this time around there will be 16 different hosts for 16 specials, which each Winston describes as being “its own event.” Some of the hosts you can expect to see include Chelsea Handler, Seth MacFarlane, John Legend, and, of course, James Corden. The Late Late Show host expressed how he isn’t upset with the changes.

This time around what viewers can expect from the Apple Music show is there won’t just be singing. There will be like a 30-minute show with interviews and even getting out of the car. Some of the interesting matchups for Carpool Karaoke include Corden with Will Smith, MacFarlane with Ariana Grande, and Legend with Alicia Keys. “There’s something about the intimacy of a car,” says Winston, adding that there’s just something kinetic that happens between two people when they connect here, more so than in a studio.

Source: Deadline

Review: 808

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Apple Music subscribers got a treat this week when 808, a documentary on the Roland TR-808 Drum Machine, was made available on the service (viewable via iTunes). The Roland 808 started as a tool to accompany organ players but in the hands of early rap and dance music producers it became the sound responsible for launching myriad music movements during the past 30 years.

The documentary is narrated by Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe  and features interviews with musical luminaries iike Afrikaa Bambataa (whose Planet Rock served as the blueprint for just what could be achieved with this tool turned instrument), The Beasti Boys, Rick Rubin, Fatboy Slim, New Order and a host of many others whose use of the 808 defined their careers, hit songs and various followers.

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Record Bird adds Apple Music integration, keeps you posted on new releases by your favorite artists

Record Bird makes it easy for you to find out if your favorite musicians releases new material. The iPhone app now adds Apple Music integration to its existing support for Spotify and Facebook. Version 1.3 of the app gets access from Apple’s music streaming service to scan for artists in your library. The artists it finds will automatically be added to your list of followed artists. When new material is released, the app will now offer quick links to stream via Apple Music or buy the song from iTunes. Aside from getting a glimpse of the new releases, the app also has a Discover pane to bring your attention to new artists you might like. The app is available for free download on the App Store.

Source: Apple Insider