Glory, a.k.a. Britney Spears’ first new album since 2013 will be released on August 26, according to the singer’s official Twitter page.
#Glory. My new album & the beginning of a new era. Available 8/26 on @AppleMusic. Pre-order tonight at midnight ET. pic.twitter.com/pkZZkC2QLR
— Britney Spears (@britneyspears) August 3, 2016
The release is the latest exclusive to be scored by Apple Music in its attempts to drive up subscription numbers. Earlier this year, Drake debuted his fourth studio album Views on the service, while Frank Ocean’s Boys Don’t Cry is set to arrive on Apple Music tomorrow. Apple has even moved into video exclusives such as James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke.”
For both Apple and artists, it’s a shrewd marketing move designed to replicate the so-called “Beyonce Effect,” referring to the 2013 launch of Beyonce’s self-titled album BEYONCÉ, which went platinum within a week and became the fastest-selling album in the history of iTunes, while Apple laid out the red carpet for the release with blanket coverage including banners in the iTunes Store and ads on iTunes Radio.
What is unknown is whether Britney’s new album will remain an Apple Music exclusive (I’d suspect not), and — if not — how long Apple’s exclusivity window will be.
While Britney isn’t the star that she was a decade ago, it’s still a pretty cool coup for Apple — and one that is sure to add a few more subscribers to Apple Music’s growing subscription base.
