Apple Music. Where do we start? It took me a good 30 minutes to figure out just how to navigate my way through the iTunes Store, to the Apple Music streaming section where I'd be able to listen to more than just a snippet of a song without then having to purchase it. I was becoming increasingly agitated, almost to the point of giving up completely. The process is a much easier one on the iPhone, but Apple Music on the PC, for now is a territory only the patient will be able to tread.
This isn't the most frustrating thing some users have faced however, with some complaining that their data has been lost after activating iCloud Music Library in the service. Luckily a fix has been confirmed - follow the below steps if you are one of those affected:
- Find an earlier iTunes library file on your computer, then drag it or copy and paste it into the iTunes folder.
- Rename the newer corrupt library file, then restart iTunes. This is done to ensure the corrupt file is restored by the older one upon iTunes' relaunch.
- Alternatively, disable iCloud Music Library under the Apple Music settings to eliminate the possibility of losing data altogether until a permanent fix is rolled out by Apple.
Moving on, the look here is classic Apple, sleek and clean, easy to navigate (once you've found it) and smartly presented. It's not far from anything we've seen before which we're actually grateful for. It's nice to see something familiar without the need to get to grips with an entirely new interface.
Categories available on the 'New' page will include 'Top Songs' and 'Top Albums' as well as 'Trending' to show what's doing well with the masses, and there's a noticeable 'Spotlight on Glastonbury' section which will likely change as the weeks and months progress to a more topical-at-the-time subsection.
Then there's the 'For You' section which really hones in on your tastes, bringing together a brilliant selection of tunes to suit your style. You'll be spoilt for choice here.
Summer playlists are automatically created and ready for you to listen to, a variation of genres to suit most needs, and there's an intriguing 'A-List' section which brings together a string of different tracks of varying kinds depending on your taste.
The A-List: Pop collection for example kicks things off with Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' (every time), but then is followed up with Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias with 'El Perdón' and Malika Ayane's 'Sensa fare sul serio' - not quite an A-List track, at least in the United Kingdom. This feature could surely benefit from some location-unique additions.
Continue to explore and you may come across the activities section, where songs have been selected for different things you may be doing, such as chilling out, driving, entertaining or... breaking up.
The Beats 1 radio is fine depending on what's taking over the airwaves. This is the live radio Apple Music introduced with a plethora of different talent providing the entertainment - at one point I tuned into a top 20 chart show with Brooke Reese which of course consisted of mainstream pop music, while at another VICE were in charge, introducing me to some good material I hadn't heard before. It looks to be a good place to discover new music, but may take some getting used to for a British listener - it's an extremely Americanised station.
Other radios will randomise songs depending on the type you choose - The Mixtape is a favourite of mine. It provided the perfect songs for our weekend barbecue, a blast of 80s hits that got everybody singing along.
Another interesting addition is the 'Connect' section which sees artists post updates much like they will do on social media, directly connecting with their fans. You can choose to automatically follow artists who relate to your libraries, or look for them yourselves. The former is perhaps the better option - it's incredibly precise and caters to all tastes. Madonna next to Eminem on my feed? Perfect.
The first big exclusive Apple have bagged is Pharrell Williams track 'Freedom'. It's short, not too exciting but a great catch for the service. The future's looking good.
Would we suggest Apple Music? We'd certainly suggest checking it out in the three month free trial period. It has the potential to replace the big players in the streaming game, but will have to continue to work on its accessibility and ease of use to really make its mark.
We'd also suggest first checking it out on your handheld devices. It's much easier to get into and you won't be left banging your head against your desk, willing something to work or happen.
Apple Music is available now.