Apple Music Scores Another Milestone: 38 Million Paid Fans!
Every music lover knows that streaming is killing the days of buying albums. Apple, the tech giant, is now officially on the scene, and its music‑for‑cash service has gained 38 million paying subscribers, up from 36 million just a month ago. Apple shared the news on Sunday at the South by Southwest festival in Austin.
Now the Big Dance-Off
- Spotify (the reigning champ): 71 million paid listeners in 2017, and it’s planning a New York Stock Exchange debut under SPOT.
- Amazon Music Unlimited: 16 million paying fans.
- Google Play Music: keeps its subscriber count under wraps.
- Pandora: 5.48 million total subscribers (plus a free ad‑supported tier).
All of these services—Apple, Spotify, Google, and the others—are competing for the same gold: the ever‑expanding trove of listeners who prefer digital tunes over vinyl.
Pricing & Promotions
- Most major services charge $9.99/month (roughly $13.10 in other currencies).
- Amazon’s Prime members can shave a buck off the price, paying only $7.99/month for music.
- Spotify offers a free, ad‑supported version to pull people in.
- Apple Music doesn’t have ads; instead, it offers a three‑month free trial—a generous nudge that has 8 million listeners currently in trial mode.
Why This Matters
Apple’s jump to 38 million paid users signals that even classic Napster‑style subscription vibes are still hot. And as streaming becomes the king of paid music consumption, the battle lines are drawn: do you go with Apple’s slick interface, Spotify’s broad catalog, or a plus‑minus bargain from Amazon? Either way, the long‑horned music journey continues.
