Beats Music launched today with music industry heavyweights behind its goal to deliver a more personalized music streaming experience.
To mark its arrival, Beats’ Chief Creative Officer Trent Reznor has released a new Nine Inch Nails EP featuring remixes by Hot Chip, Cold Cave and Simian Mobile Disco. The EP is exclusively available to Beats subscribers. Learn more by watching the Reznor-narrated Beats” video promo below.
The service is the latest offering from the Beats by Dre headphone parent company, Beats Electronics, with founder Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine at the helm. Beats is hoping to edge out already-established streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora and Google Play through playlists designed by human curators, including the editor-in-chief of Pitchfork and radio personalities.
“It takes a highly curated, uninterrupted sequence of songs to achieve a fulfilling music experience, where the only song as important as the song you are listening to is the song that comes next,” Iovine said in a recent press release.
The catch is that, unlike its competitors, Beats doesn”t have a free, ad-supported version. The monthly subscription fee is $9.99 and AT&T wireless customers have the option of a $14.99 family plan. Paid subscribers have access to more than 20 million tracks with unlimited streaming. Spotify holds roughly the same number of licenses.
Sign up for a free seven-day trial here.