Apple Music adds half-priced ‘Voice’ tier

Apple has launched the Apple Music Voice Plan – a new $4.99 subscription tier that includes full access to Apple Music’s 90 million track catalog.

Designed around Siri’s voice controls, the new Apple Music Voice Plan also includes access to all playlists including hundreds of new mood and activity playlists, personalized mixes, genre stations, and Apple Music Radio for $4.99 per month – half the usual Apple Music $9.99 per month tier.

Good for artists?

The Apple Music Voice plan is being launched at a time when many are clamoring for larger payouts to rights holders.

But since label, publisher, and artist royalties are calculated based on a percentage of Apple Music revenue, these new $4.99 subscriptions will pay about half as much as the usual Apple or Spotify Premium $9.99 subscriptions.

Some of Apple Music’s premium offerings including Spatial Audio, Lossless Audio, Lyrics, and Music Videos will require a$9.99 per month or $14.99 per month family plan subscription to access.

The new $4.99 Voice Plan will be available later this fall in 17 countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

During Apple’s “Unleashed” product event Monday the company also announced third-generation AirPods wireless earbuds ($179) with spatial audio; HomePod mini speakers ($99) and a redesigned MacBook Pro.

Bruce Houghton is Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank and serves as a Senior Advisor to Bandsintown which acquired both publications in 2019. He is the Founder and President of the Skyline Artists Agency and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.