Apple Announces ‘DJ With Apple Music’, Integration With Leading DJ Software & Hardware Platforms
Apple has announced DJ with Apple Music – an integrated experience with leading DJ software and hardware platforms that will make it easier for DJs to create and perform with Apple Music’s catalog of more than 100 million songs.
In recent years there’s been something of a disconnect between the universal ease of streaming music for listening purposes and the convoluted process of streaming music for the purpose of DJing.
That’s not to say that streaming isn’t a thing in the DJ realm. But for the most part there’s been no way for users of streaming giants Spotify or Apple Music to make use of their subscriptions for DJing.
That’s set to change with the launch of DJ with Apple Music, a new functionality for the streaming service aimed at making the platform’s library available to DJs.
This manifests in a few ways. Firstly, as a new section within Apple Music’s own interface that hosts a variety of curated DJ-focused playlists. This has playlists built around genres, as well as those curated by DJs and DJ gear brands.
More significantly, it also means that Apple Music will now be integrated into a variety of different DJing platforms including Serato, AlphaTheta’s Rekordbox, and inMusic’s Engine DJ, Denon DJ, Numark, and RANE DJ.
While functionality is a little different across different platforms, this means that Apple Music subscribers can mix with tracks from the service’s library within their chosen DJ platform, building on the first integration with Algoriddim‘s djay Pro software, as well as apply tags, set cue points and build playlists.
On the AlphaTheta front, Apple Music arrives in the desktop version of Rekordbox (v7.1), along with rekordbox for iOS, and will also be implemented into two of the brand’s all-in-one DJ systems, the XDJ-AZ and Omnis-Duo.
The company also let us know that integration should roll out for the CDJ-3000s and Opus-Quad in the near future, and will be present in all future product releases.
With Serato, users can access Apple Music tracks from the downloads pages of both Serato DJ Lite and Serato DJ Pro.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Apple Music has been integrated into a DJ platform – users of Algoriddim Djay can already stream tracks from Apple Music. Rival streaming platform Tidal is also already integrated into several DJ platforms.
“Apple Music is committed to supporting DJs,” says Stephen Campbell, Global Head of Dance, Electronic & DJ Mixes at Apple Music. “With this latest integration, we’re taking that commitment even further – seamlessly connecting Apple Music with the industry’s leading DJ software and hardware. This innovation brings the full power of Apple Music into the creative workflow, making it easier than ever for DJs to access, play, and discover music in real time.”
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Making use of Apple Music within any DJ platform will require both a subscription to Apple Music and subscription to/license for your DJ software of choice.
Closing the gap between the streaming services we use for listening to music and DJ software libraries is a massive step forward for beginner and at-home DJs.
Today’s announcement is certainly the most high-profile crossover we’ve seen between a streaming platform and the DJ realm.
Explore Apple Music’s new DJ playlists at the DJ with Apple Music homepage.
Find out more about specific platform integration with AlphaTheta, Serato, Rekordbox, Engine DJ, Denon DJ, Numark, Djay and RANE DJ. It lets Apple Music subscribers build and mix sets directly from Apple Music’s catalog, building on the first integration with Algoriddim‘s djay Pro software.
Beginning today, users can also access a new dedicated DJ with Apple Music category page, spotlighting a series of DJ-friendly editorial playlists, along with new curator pages for each DJ software and hardware platform showcasing any mixes or sample playlists that can be used to practice.
DJ with Apple Music is available now via Apple Music. The first month of service is free, and costs $10.99/month.
