Dr. Dre, Trent Reznor and Beats Music have pulled out their virtual bow and arrow, setting their crosshairs on Spotify and music streaming services in general. Come January 21st, Beats Music will offer streaming music subscriptions on iOS, Android, Windows, and the web for $9.99 a month.
The music streaming field has more than enough competitors seeking to pipe music into the population’s earholes. Beats Music hopes their collection of editors and guest programmers from sites like Rolling Stone, Rap Radar and Pitchfork, in addition to the ever-present computer algorithm, matches listeners with what they really want to hear.
For example, the Right Now feature. The NY Times says “a user generates an ad hoc playlist by completing a musical status update with four variables: a place, an activity, a person and a genre of music. ‘I’m at the beach & feel like pre-partying with my friends to dance-pop,’ for example, yields the Chemical Brothers, Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson.’”
Or for some, “I’m at home playing World of Warcraft alone wanting to hear depressing music”. You know, hypothetically speaking.
