Apple Music acquired Primephonic, an acclaimed streaming service for classical music. Primephonic offers a unique listening experience that includes search and browse functionality, expert recommendations, extensive context details, and handpicked expert suggestions.
Primephonic is now available on Apple Music. Subscribers will enjoy a much improved classical music experience, starting with Primephonic playlists. Apple Music Classical subscribers will be able to enjoy “a dedicated experience with Primephonic’s best features, including enhanced browsing and search capabilities for composers and repertoire, detailed displays on classical music metadata, and new benefits.”
Oliver Schuster (Apple’s vice president for Apple Music and Beats) stated that the company loves classical music, and Primephonic is a favorite of classical music lovers. “Together, Apple Music is bringing incredible new classical features. Soon, Apple Music will offer a dedicated, classical experience that will genuinely rival any in the world.
Primephonic’s CEO and co-founder Thomas Steffens stated, “Bringing the best Primephonic music to Apple Music subscribers will be a tremendous development in the classical music industry.” Musicians love Primephonic and the work we do in classical. Now, we can join forces with Apple to provide the best possible experience for millions of listeners. We have the opportunity to bring classical music to mainstream radio and to connect the next generation with classical musicians.
Primephonic is a significant shareholder. Gordon P. Getty said that Primephonic was created to ensure that classical music remains relevant for future generations. “Primephonic, Apple can accomplish that mission together and take classical music to a worldwide audience.”
Primephonic will not be available to new subscribers. The app will be removed entirely on September 7. Apple Music plans to launch a dedicated music app that combines Primephonic’s classical user interface and features. “Peers of Primephonic will be able to access hundreds of thousands of classical music in Lossless and high-resolution audio. In addition, they will have free six months of Apple Music. They also have access to hundreds more classical albums in Apple Music Spatial, adding new ones every day.
Apple regularly buys companies that are not in their business plan. CNBC reports that Apple often purchases businesses that go unnoticed. Apple acquires experts in specific areas to enhance an ongoing initiative or to add technology. The company has made several significant acquisitions in the music industry to expand its product offerings. In 2014, Apple bought streaming music service and headphone maker Beats for $3 billion in 2014 and music-identification service Shazam for a price reportedly around $400 million in 2017. Also, in 2018, it quietly bought Platoon, a service for helping users discover artists, although the purchase amount was not disclosed.
Primephonic said that the acquisition would help it serve more classical music listeners worldwide in a letter posted Monday to its website.
“As a classical-only startup, we cannot reach the majority global classical listeners, particularly those who listen to other music genres too,” the company stated. “We decided to partner up with a streaming company that can cover all music genres and share our love of classical music. This is how we will achieve our mission.
