Apple Music still has a ways to go before catching up with Spotify, but Apple’s streaming music service is still growing slowly but surely. As part of a wide-ranging feature on Apple’s ongoing efforts in the music space, Billboard relays that Apple Music now boats 30 million paying subscribers. As a point of reference, the last time we heard Apple disclose subscriber figures was back in June when Tim Cook said Apple Music had 27 million subscribers.
All told, 30 million subscribers isn’t too shabby given that Apple Music didn’t even launch until late June of 2015, but it’s still a far cry from the 60 million paying users on Spotify. Taking into account non-paying users, Spotify boasts that it has upwards of 140 million users.
Subscriber metrics aside, the Billboard piece is well worth a read as it relays a number of interesting tidbits about Apple’s current approach to music and the streaming industry at large.
Of course, the more colorful quotes come from Jimmy Iovine who has never been one to mince words.
“I don’t believe that what exists right now is enough,” Iovine said in reference to current streaming services. “I believe we’re in the right place, we have the right people and the right attitude to not settle for what exists right now. Just because we’re adding millions of subscribers and the old catalog numbers are going up, that’s not the trick. That’s just not going to hold.”
As for the biggest challenges facing the music industry, Iovine notes that it’s tough to compete with the wide array of free music options from the likes of YouTube, Pandora, and even Spotify’s free tier.
The entire interview, which is definitely worth checking out in full, can be viewed here.
