Apple Music Quietly Adds Pre-Release Album Saves

Apple Music has launched album "pre-adds" that allow the user to "save" an album to their streaming library prior to release. A number of independent services have developed Spotify pre-save tools, but this quiet launch is the first inside a streaming service app.

Pre-Adds Are The New Advance Purchase

In an era where streams are the new sales and playlists are the new radio, "pre-adds" could quickly become the cornerstone of pre-release marketing campaigns. Pre-saved or pre-added music drives day-of-release consumption and can trigger a music streamer's algorithm to share the music more widely. 

To access Apple Music's "pre-adds," users tap on the “Browse” tab and scroll all the way down to a new category, “Coming Soon”.

Pre-Adds are Apple's latest effort to make Apple Music more artist and label friendly. Apple Music has long lacked a free streaming marketing toolkit like Spotify For Artists and Pandora's AMP.

Apple Music For Artists just exited invite-only beta a few days ago with a platform that is thus far centered around analytics.

H/T Music Ally