Apple reportedly in talks to secure exclusives from Taylor Swift, others for rumored music...

April 12, 2015

Apple is reportedly in talks with both Taylor Swift and Florence and the Machine to offer exclusive releases on its rumored upcoming streaming service.

Along with the above artists, the report mentions that Apple is in talks with over a dozen others for exclusive releases on the as well. Bloomberg reports:

Apple Inc. has asked Florence and the Machine and more than a dozen other artists for exclusive deals to promote a revamped Beats Music, and persuade people to ante up for what they're accustomed to getting pretty much for free.

The company's in talks with the British group, which is set to release an album in June, about giving Apple limited streaming rights to a track, and has approached Taylor Swift and others about partnerships, according to people familiar with the matter. The idea is that exclusives will be bait for music lovers loathe to pay for subscriptions.

While it was previously reported that Apple was pursuing deals for exclusive releases on the service, this report marks the first mention of which artists Apple could be targeting. Exclusive releases from Taylor Swift and Florence and the Machine, among other artists, could potentially give Apple's rumored streaming service a leg up over rivals such as Spotify and Rdio. Additionally, Apple would do well to secure deals to combat Tidal, which was recently relaunched with significant support from music giants such as Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Rihanna.

The report goes on to mention that Apple is planning to debut the service at a price of $9.99 per month for individuals (which lines up with previous reports), along with a $14.99 plan for families, similar to the Beats Music family plan that was offered through AT&T.

The new service, which will integrate the functionality of the current Beats app with the iOS Music app, is widely expected to be announced sometime around WWDC 2015, which usually takes place in June.

Source: Bloomberg