Apple Music is growing like crazy as service hits 40 million subscribers

UPDATE: This story has been debunked, as the source of the news does not actually work at Apple.EARLIER:

While the 2015 launch of Apple Music was marred by a clunky UI and any number of usability issues, Apple’s music streaming service has improved considerably since then. In turn, the cumulative number of Apple Music subscribers has grown by leaps and bounds in a relatively short amount of time. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Apple’s Music app enjoys the prime piece of real estate that is the iOS homescreen.

Earlier today, Steven Huon — who is said to be the head of French content for Apple TV and Apple Music — fired off a tweet indicating that Apple Music currently boasts 40 million subscribers. As a point of reference, Eddy Cue just about a month ago revealed that Apple Music has 38 million subscribers. And before that, Apple Music back in February enjoyed 36 million subscribers. Doing some quick math, Apple Music grew by more than 10% over the last two months alone.

Clearly, Apple Music is growing at an impressive rate, so much so that some industry insiders believe that the cumulative number of paid subscribers on Apple Music may surpass Spotify as early as this summer.

As The Wall Street Journal noted last month:

Apple’s Apple Music streaming service, which has been No. 2 in U.S. subscribers behind Spotify AB, is quickly gaining ground against its rival and may overtake it this summer.

Apple Inc.’s Apple Music is adding subscriber accounts in the U.S. at a higher rate than Spotify, and is on track to pass the No. 1 streaming service this summer, according to people in the record business familiar with figures reported by the two services.

Spotify, which just went public yesterday, currently boasts 71 million paid subscribers, though the company believes that figure may rise as high as 96 million before the end of the year.