Beats 1 Radio Is Now ‘Apple Music 1’ as Apple Launches Two More Radio Stations

Apple Music Radio.jpg Credit: Apple
Text Size
- +

Toggle Dark Mode

In a move away from the Beats branding that formed the legacy of Apple Music, Apple has announced the rebranding of its flagship live radio station as Apple Music 1, alongside the debut of two new radio stations to cover more specific themes.

The flagship global radio station, now formerly-known as Beats 1, will continue to offer the same 24-hour live radio stream as before under the new Apple Music 1 label, while new Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country stations will launch, with the first highlighting top songs from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, while the second will naturally spotlight country music.

The new lineup of radio stations will run under the direction of Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director and lead host of Apple Music 1. A self-described “obsessive music nerd,” Lowe emphasizes that Apple Music radio — all three stations — are all about searching out the most exciting new artists and putting them up right alongside the genre-defining music of our time.

Apple Music Country

More specifically, Apple Music Country will not only air country music, but also feature multiple on-air hosts and an exclusive lineup of shows from artists such as Jimmy Allen, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Willie Jones, Carrie Underwood, and more, along with legendary producers and songwriters.

National television personality Ashley Eicher and radio host and music journalist Kelly McCartney will also host a special weekly show covering the country music scene.

As Apple states, Apple Music Country “aims to be the definitive place for every lane of an increasingly diverse genre,” and will offer a mix of the “best music of today while introducing fans to the stars of tomorrow,” while also looking back at the movers and shakers “that have shaped and defined country music along the way.”

Apple Music Hits

Although it’s likely to be a little bit less genre-specific, Apple Music Hits aims to cover the full catalogue of the biggest songs over three decades, looking back at the music of yesteryear in contrast to Apple Music 1 which of course is about what’s hot right now.

As with Apple’s other live radio stations, Apple Music Hits will be far more than just a playlist of the top music of the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, and will also include a slate of new shows from notable artists and hosts, with daily on-air personalities that will include Jayde Donovan, Jen Marino, Sabi, Nicole Sky and Natalie Sky, George Stroumboulopoulos, and more, along with artists like Backstreet Boys, Huey Lewis, Alanis Morissette, Snoop Dogg, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain, and more.

How to Listen

The three Apple Music stations are available now through the Music app on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac in 167 countries around the world, and can also be streamed directly on the HomePod or via any modern web browser at music.apple.com. You can also ask Siri to play the new stations by name on any Apple device.

Although Apple Music Radio stations only broadcast live, Apple also regularly publishes some of Zane Lowe’s interviews as podcasts, and it seems conceivable that it could do the same for many of the shows that will be available on the new Country and Hits radio stations, allowing listeners to catch up with some of the best content that they may have missed during its live broadcast.

Sponsored
Social Sharing