Apple has renamed its Beats 1 Radio Station to Apple Music 1, as part of a rebrand to Apple Music radio. Two further stations, ‘Hits’ and ‘Country’, have also launched, the company announced Tuesday.
Beats 1 Becomes Apple Music 1
The main station, available through the Music app, will now be known as Apple Music radio, replacing the Beats branding. Commenting on the shift, Oliver Schusser, vice president of Apple Music, Beats, and International Content, said:
For the past five years, if ever there was a meaningful moment in music culture, Beats 1 was there bringing human curation to the forefront and drawing in listeners with exclusive shows from some of the most innovative, respected, and beloved people in music. Now, Apple Music radio provides an unparalleled global platform for artists across all genres to talk about, create, and share music with their fans, and this is just the beginning. We will continue to invest in live radio and create opportunities for listeners around the world to connect with the music they love.
The station specializes in bringing in top presenters and music stars to lead shows. For intstance, the likes Billie Eilish, Elton John, Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga, and Nile Rogers, all broadcast there. There are also famous presenters including Zane Lowe, who also serves as Apple Music’s global creative director, and Dotty, who recently left BBC Radio 1 Extra in the UK.
“Apple Music is home — it’s home to artists, it’s home to fans, and it’s home to incredible music,” said Mr. Lowe. “I’m an obsessive music nerd. I love searching for the most exciting new artists and playing them right alongside the most essential, established artists of our time, because great music does not know the difference and Apple Music fans just want to hear great music. That’s what Apple Music radio is all about.”
Specialist Hits and Country Stations Arrive
Two new stations are launching alongside the rebrand – Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country. Hits will feature the biggest songs of the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. It will also feature cornerstone presenters. These include Jayde Donovan, Estelle, and Lowkey. Furthermore, there are musicians fronted shows from the likes of the Backstreet Boys, Snoop Dogg, and Shania Twain. Apple Music Country follows a similar format, with shows from The Shires, Carrie Underwood, and Kelleigh Bannen.