Apple buys Primephonic classical music streaming service

The Primephonic website is no longer available but it looked like this

Apple has acquired classical music streaming service, Primephonic. It says the deal will bring significant improvements for classical music lovers through Apple Music Classical. If you don’t use Primephonic yet, you can’t try it. The service is no longer available for new subscribers and will be taken offline beginning September 7.

What this means for classical music fans

Music subscribers who love classical music can expect a bunch of improvements in Apple Music. Primephonic was emerging as an excellent service for its genre and folding this into Music is a primary aim.

What improvements to expect should include: Better music playlists, exclusive audio content, better browsing, the capacity to search by composer and by repertoire, detailed displays of classical music metadata, and additional new features and benefits.

You’ll also get that Apple Lossless audio experience classical music fans might like.

The iPhone maker says Primephonic offers “An outstanding listening experience with search and browse functionality optimized for classical, premium-quality audio, handpicked expert recommendations, and extensive contextual details on repertoire and recordings.”

There is a one more thing in this.

An Apple press release tells us that: “Apple Music plans to launch a dedicated classical music app next year combining Primephonic’s classical user interface that fans have grown to love with more added features.”

[Also read: How to create a playlist of your top songs in Apple Music]

A note on the Primephonic site promises, “an amazing new classical music experience from Apple for early next year.”

We don’t know yet how many of these improvements may also be made available across other Apple Music genres, but it seems inevitable the company continues to improve its offer to all users.

Classical musicians playing violin by Larista Birta on Unsplash

What to expect if you use Primephonic?

If you are already a Primephonic subscriber you will be given six months of Apple Music for free. This provides access to hundreds of thousands of classical albums in Lossless and high-resolution audio, as well as hundreds of classical albums in Apple Music’s Spatial Audio.

Apple also says subscribers will gain access to an improved Apple Music Classical app that folds in the best of Primephonic along with enhancements unique to Apple Music. In a separate note we learn this may turn up early next year.

If you follow the Primephonic Twitter account you may also notice it has been taken down.

What Apple said

“We love and have a deep respect for classical music, and Primephonic has become a fan favorite for classical enthusiasts,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats.

“Together, we’re bringing great new classical features to Apple Music, and in the near future, we’ll deliver a dedicated classical experience that will truly be the best in the world.”

What Primephonic had to say

“Bringing the best of Primephonic to Apple Music subscribers is a tremendous development for the classical music industry,” said Thomas Steffens, Primephonic’s co-founder and CEO.

“Artists love the Primephonic service and what we’ve done in classical, and now we have the ability to join with Apple to deliver the absolute best experience to millions of listeners. We get to bring classical music to the mainstream and connect a new generation of musicians with the next generation of audience.”

“Primephonic was founded to ensure that classical music will stay relevant for future generations,” said Gordon P. Getty, a major shareholder of Primephonic. “Primephonic and Apple together can realize that mission and take classical to a worldwide audience.”

Up next

Next big Apple Music UI improvements coming in early 2022, anyone?

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