Background, Industries and the Impact of the Internet
1) How have our music listening habits changed since 1960?
Since 1960, most of our music is consumed digitally, through subscriptions services like Spotify, and generally, people listen to radio far less than they used to.
2) When did Apple Beats 1 Radio launch and what is it?
Apple Beats was launched in 2015, and it was initially a free 'always on' live streaming radio station that is available globally.
3) What is the difference between Beats 1 Radio, iTunes and Apple Music?
Beats 1 Radio is a radio service that includes DJs who create their mixtapes to play for their audience, and it is currently a subscription-based service, iTunes, however, is a digital store for almost every song and it focuses on allowing their audience to have ownership of the songs they purchase as well as creating their mixtapes. Apple Music is also a subscription-based service wherein consumers pay a flat fee, and then they are given access to Apple's vast music catalogue, but listeners do not have ownership of songs on the service.
4) Why was Apple so keen to enter the online music world and compete with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music (and others)?
They used Beats 1 not only to compete with other streaming services but to promote their already existent music platforms, iTunes and Apple Music. They also built Beats 1 off the back of a deal that they made with Beats Music, which was an already established music platform of quite a large following.
5) Why did Apple choose the three selected DJs for launch?
Apple chose the three DJs due to their pre-established loyal followings and their contacts within the music world. Zane Lowe was poached from Radio 1 to not only directly compete with Radio 1 but to also 'steal' his loyal fanbase and encourage more listeners to move away from their competitor. This is similar to Ebro Darden, who also used to be part of a famous New York radio station, further building the audience for Beats 1. Finally, Julie Adenuga was chosen, not only for her high contacts in the London rap scene but also due to the fact she used to run a pirate radio station which was extremely popular and by bringing her to Beats, her audience had no choice but to follow.
6) How does the use of DJs differ from Spotify, Amazon Music and other streaming services?
While Spotify and similar services do have algorithms that recommend songs, Beats 1's use of DJs means that the DJs who have extensive experience in the music industry can offer their audiences new and upcoming artists as well as create different mixtapes that are built directly from listeners' interactions with the DJs.
7) How does the content of the Julia Adenuga show differ from Radio 1?
Julie Adenuga's show is exceptionally casual and includes guests like artists. It is very laid-back and approachable whereas Radio 1 wasn't as laid-back and usually only included one speaker which could be seen as quite dull. Although both stations do include audience interaction, Beats 1 is much more interactive with their audience.
8) Why does Beats 1 radio give Apple the power to make or break new artists? Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the music industry?
Beats 1 has a huge following, and depending on how often an artist is played-if at all- can change how popular they become. Also, the DJs opinion is usually sincere so they only scout music from people they believe to be good. This could be seen as a good thing since it allows for a much broader range of artists to be heard.
9) Read the BBC feature on the launch of Apple Beats 1 Radio. Did the industry experts think it would be a success? Why?
Industry experts generally believed that Beats 1 would be successful but not to the point where it would threaten stronger radio stations like Radio 1. They thought that Beats 1 would be mainly a threat to music-focused radio stations and possible even subscription services like Spotify due to the constant advertising for Apple Music and the 24/7 plea of music which some radio stations cannot compare to.
10) Give arguments for and against the idea that Beats 1 will be a threat to traditional media industries (e.g. radio stations, record shops, online music retailers etc.)
Beats 1 could be seen as a treat due to Apple's incredible buying power, also Beats 1 offers very similar services to existing radio stations, but Beats 1 has access to DJs who are specialised and can get guests on their shows that other radio station probably couldn't. Beats 1 also ties closely with Apple Music, and this could threaten streaming services which could take consumers away from places like record stores and other streaming services. On the other hand, Beats 1, although marketed as diverse in music choice, includes very specialised DJs and could deter potential audiences. Additionally, Beats 1 requires a subscription service, which many may not wish to pay for a radio station, which is usually free, further reducing the opportunity for audiences.
Audience
1) Who is the target audience for Beats 1 and Julia Adenuga in particular? Refer to demographics and psychographics.
Beats 1's target audience is a young audience who enjoy pop music as well as hip/hop and similar genres. It is mainly for The Explorer psychographic and arguably The Aspirer.
2) Why do people listen to Beats 1? Which aspects of Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory relate to Beats 1 and its audience?
People listen to Beats 1 to gain an 'online guide' to the music industry and learn about new and exciting artists and music. Beats 1 offers its audience the gratification of Diversion, Personal Identity to the younger DJs as well as Personal Relationships as the DJ builds a very personal show to the listeners through interactions.
3) Can the audience actively interact with the Apple Beats 1 Radio or are they passive when listening? How? Give examples.
Apple Beats 1's audience listen actively to the station since they interact with the station as it's on air. Beats 1 has many social media platforms, like Twitter, where its audience can send tweets or hashtags in reaction to what DJs are saying live. They can also submit music requests in the Mixtape segment of the show so that listeners can interact through music too.
4) Is Apple Beats 1 aimed at a mass or niche audience? How does this differ to BBC Radio 1?
Apple Beats 1 was marketed as a globally interactive radio which anybody could enjoy, however, their DJs are incredibly specialised, and it could be argued that the station is specialised and targeted at a niche audience of hip/hop listeners. This is different from Radio 1 which was a very mainstream radio station that played popular music for a mass audience.
5) Do you think Apple Beats 1 radio will be popular with young audiences or are streaming services the future of audio-based media?
I believe Apple Beats will not be extremely popular like other cheaper options (Spotify), but it will gain quite a large following and potentially pose a threat to music-specific radio stations like Kiss FM. However, due to the open and extremely personalised nature of streaming services radio is at risk of becoming obsolete.
Written By Aishwarya Odedra
1) How have our music listening habits changed since 1960?
Since 1960, most of our music is consumed digitally, through subscriptions services like Spotify, and generally, people listen to radio far less than they used to.
2) When did Apple Beats 1 Radio launch and what is it?
Apple Beats was launched in 2015, and it was initially a free 'always on' live streaming radio station that is available globally.
3) What is the difference between Beats 1 Radio, iTunes and Apple Music?
Beats 1 Radio is a radio service that includes DJs who create their mixtapes to play for their audience, and it is currently a subscription-based service, iTunes, however, is a digital store for almost every song and it focuses on allowing their audience to have ownership of the songs they purchase as well as creating their mixtapes. Apple Music is also a subscription-based service wherein consumers pay a flat fee, and then they are given access to Apple's vast music catalogue, but listeners do not have ownership of songs on the service.
4) Why was Apple so keen to enter the online music world and compete with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music (and others)?
They used Beats 1 not only to compete with other streaming services but to promote their already existent music platforms, iTunes and Apple Music. They also built Beats 1 off the back of a deal that they made with Beats Music, which was an already established music platform of quite a large following.
5) Why did Apple choose the three selected DJs for launch?
Apple chose the three DJs due to their pre-established loyal followings and their contacts within the music world. Zane Lowe was poached from Radio 1 to not only directly compete with Radio 1 but to also 'steal' his loyal fanbase and encourage more listeners to move away from their competitor. This is similar to Ebro Darden, who also used to be part of a famous New York radio station, further building the audience for Beats 1. Finally, Julie Adenuga was chosen, not only for her high contacts in the London rap scene but also due to the fact she used to run a pirate radio station which was extremely popular and by bringing her to Beats, her audience had no choice but to follow.
6) How does the use of DJs differ from Spotify, Amazon Music and other streaming services?
While Spotify and similar services do have algorithms that recommend songs, Beats 1's use of DJs means that the DJs who have extensive experience in the music industry can offer their audiences new and upcoming artists as well as create different mixtapes that are built directly from listeners' interactions with the DJs.
7) How does the content of the Julia Adenuga show differ from Radio 1?
Julie Adenuga's show is exceptionally casual and includes guests like artists. It is very laid-back and approachable whereas Radio 1 wasn't as laid-back and usually only included one speaker which could be seen as quite dull. Although both stations do include audience interaction, Beats 1 is much more interactive with their audience.
8) Why does Beats 1 radio give Apple the power to make or break new artists? Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the music industry?
Beats 1 has a huge following, and depending on how often an artist is played-if at all- can change how popular they become. Also, the DJs opinion is usually sincere so they only scout music from people they believe to be good. This could be seen as a good thing since it allows for a much broader range of artists to be heard.
9) Read the BBC feature on the launch of Apple Beats 1 Radio. Did the industry experts think it would be a success? Why?
Industry experts generally believed that Beats 1 would be successful but not to the point where it would threaten stronger radio stations like Radio 1. They thought that Beats 1 would be mainly a threat to music-focused radio stations and possible even subscription services like Spotify due to the constant advertising for Apple Music and the 24/7 plea of music which some radio stations cannot compare to.
10) Give arguments for and against the idea that Beats 1 will be a threat to traditional media industries (e.g. radio stations, record shops, online music retailers etc.)
Beats 1 could be seen as a treat due to Apple's incredible buying power, also Beats 1 offers very similar services to existing radio stations, but Beats 1 has access to DJs who are specialised and can get guests on their shows that other radio station probably couldn't. Beats 1 also ties closely with Apple Music, and this could threaten streaming services which could take consumers away from places like record stores and other streaming services. On the other hand, Beats 1, although marketed as diverse in music choice, includes very specialised DJs and could deter potential audiences. Additionally, Beats 1 requires a subscription service, which many may not wish to pay for a radio station, which is usually free, further reducing the opportunity for audiences.
Audience
1) Who is the target audience for Beats 1 and Julia Adenuga in particular? Refer to demographics and psychographics.
Beats 1's target audience is a young audience who enjoy pop music as well as hip/hop and similar genres. It is mainly for The Explorer psychographic and arguably The Aspirer.
2) Why do people listen to Beats 1? Which aspects of Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory relate to Beats 1 and its audience?
People listen to Beats 1 to gain an 'online guide' to the music industry and learn about new and exciting artists and music. Beats 1 offers its audience the gratification of Diversion, Personal Identity to the younger DJs as well as Personal Relationships as the DJ builds a very personal show to the listeners through interactions.
3) Can the audience actively interact with the Apple Beats 1 Radio or are they passive when listening? How? Give examples.
Apple Beats 1's audience listen actively to the station since they interact with the station as it's on air. Beats 1 has many social media platforms, like Twitter, where its audience can send tweets or hashtags in reaction to what DJs are saying live. They can also submit music requests in the Mixtape segment of the show so that listeners can interact through music too.
4) Is Apple Beats 1 aimed at a mass or niche audience? How does this differ to BBC Radio 1?
Apple Beats 1 was marketed as a globally interactive radio which anybody could enjoy, however, their DJs are incredibly specialised, and it could be argued that the station is specialised and targeted at a niche audience of hip/hop listeners. This is different from Radio 1 which was a very mainstream radio station that played popular music for a mass audience.
5) Do you think Apple Beats 1 radio will be popular with young audiences or are streaming services the future of audio-based media?
I believe Apple Beats will not be extremely popular like other cheaper options (Spotify), but it will gain quite a large following and potentially pose a threat to music-specific radio stations like Kiss FM. However, due to the open and extremely personalised nature of streaming services radio is at risk of becoming obsolete.
Written By Aishwarya Odedra
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