Beats Music banks on curation for streaming success
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/01/11/beats-music-banks-on-curation-jimmy-iovine-trent-reznor/4397107/
SANTA MONICA, Calif. Jimmy Iovine doesn't do small. The way the producer-turned-entrepreneur sees it, people didn't know they needed sleek $300 Beats by Dr. Dre headphones until they appeared, a point proven by the brand capturing 40% of the billion-dollar headphone market since its 2008 debut.
Iovine is similarly confident that his new streaming subscription music service Beats Music, which on Saturday announced it will go live Jan. 21 will awaken fans to what they've been missing with competitors such as Spotify, Rhapsody and iTunes Radio, services that in 2012 accounted for a still modest 8% of the $7 billion retail music market.
Iovine's not-so-secret weapon to grow that figure? Curation.
"Access to music and algorithms aren't enough," Iovine tells USA TODAY. "Music can fuel your highs and lows, but music doesn't do that with 'Here's 16 million songs and give me your credit card and good luck.' Our service will be of service."