Eddie Cue celebrates new milestones for Apple Music and Shazam

Apple SVP of Services, Eddy Cue, is celebrating a “groundbreaking year for entertainment,” including major milestones and new features for Apple Music and Shazam.

Cue’s 2022 wrap letter touted 900 million paid subscriptions, including Apple Music, and Apple News. iCloud, gaming, and other Apple services.

Apple Music

We already knew that Apple Music is home to more than 100 million songs “representing nearly the entire history of recorded music,” but to that stat Cue added another that “since launch, the number of monthly Spatial Audio listeners has more than tripled, with more than 80 percent of worldwide subscribers” using it and pushing monthly plays in Spatial Audio up 1,000%. Last year Apple Music partnered with Mercedes-Benz to bring Spatial Audio to cars for the first time.

Cue was also proud of Apple Music Live, which offered subscribers access to exclusive live performances by major artists, including Harry Styles, Lil Durk, Mary J. Blige, Billie Eilish, Luke Combs, Wizkid, and Alicia Keys. Following each broadcast, listeners can replay the show on demand in Spatial Audio.

Last month, Apple added Apple Music Sing, a robust karaoke app that is getting positive reviews.

Shazam

For Shazam, Cue highlighted its 70 billion all-time Shazams and 20th anniversary in 2022. Last year users discovered more than 40 million different songs, and more than 1 million new artists received their first Shazam.

Shazam launched 17 new national charts and 58 city charts as well as new features including library sync using iCloud and enhanced Siri integration.

Thanks to a new partnership with Bandsintown, Shazam users can find concert details, making it easy to explore upcoming live shows and increasing exposure for all artists.

Last week, Shazam also released its 2023 Predictions, a 50-song playlist of global artists poised to have a breakthrough year.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.