Apple Music Now Beating Spotify in the US

While Spotify might still have a few million more users than Apple Music worldwide, Apple has taken the lead in the US. This comes after Apple was a bit late to the streaming scene, as Spotify had a few years of head start. How did Apple manage to overtake the biggest music streaming service in the world?

Big-Name Collaborations

Names like Drake, Frank Ocean and Taylor Swift command a bit of attention. Apple wisely has signed deals with these artists to stream their albums on Apple Music first. In fact, hip-hop and R&B artists see much more success on Apple Music than on Spotify. Drake, for instance, topped the music-streaming charts when Scorpion launched this Summer. J. Cole’s album, K.O.D., saw nearly double the streams on Apple Music than on Spotify. That’s a big deal, as hip-hop and R&B make up nearly a third of all music streaming.

Beyond just the exclusivity, a number of artists have their own radio shows on Apple’s Beats One radio station. That station, you could guess, is available only through an Apple Music subscription. Drake, Deadmau5, Billie Eilish and more artists have their own shows, and their legions of fans follow them to the service. When you’ve got a following as big as Drake, your name alone can carry a service.

Beats One

Speaking of Beats One, it’s the crown jewel of Apple Music and the key to its success. DJs like Zane Lower and Ebro Darden bring a human touch to the proceedings. That same human touch is notably missing from the algorithm-driven Spotify radio service. The interviews, exclusive content and world-first premiers on the service are all quite compelling for diehard music lovers. While more casual listeners may be content with Spotify, those who want more human content are attracted to Beats One.

Apple Music Has the Install Base

Another big plus for Apple’s service is the install base of Apple devices. Many people already have iPhones, Macs and the like, and as such they are more likely to try Apple Music. Siri commands can pull up Beats One and the service has iTunes integration. What’s more, Apple CarPlay is the perfect ecosystem for Beats One Radio to shine.

While Spotify is still leading by a wide margin in the global market, Apple has secured the American listeners. Time will tell whether Apple manages to pull in the foreign demographics, or if they keep their focus here at home.