Brian Bumbery, a veteran PR strategist who worked closely with musical acts including Metallica, Green Day, Madonna and others, has joined Apple as director of Apple Music Publicity.
The move comes as part of a “larger transition” currently taking place with Apple Music. Former boss Jimmy Iovine has now completed his transition to more of a consulting role. Apple Music announced a new head, Oliver Schusser, back in April.
Brian Bumbery’s arrival at Apple is not a huge surprise. His public relations firm, BB Gun Press, has worked with Apple Music for several months. With Bumbery now employed at Apple, BB Gun Press will continue under the control of business partner Luke Burland.
Apple Music vs. Spotify
The role of helping drum up more Apple Music publicity comes at a crucial time for Apple. According to a recent report, Apple Music now boasts more paying subscribers than Spotify in the United States, with around 20 million monthly paying subscribers.
However, Spotify is still ruling the roost as the biggest music streaming company, courtesy of its free tier. The service has approximately 160 million total users worldwide, while Apple Music has an estimated 55 million, including 5-10 million on the free trial plan.
Ultimately, it’s difficult to compare the two like-for-like. Spotify is still making no money, while Apple has been clear that Apple Music is more of a loss leader for the company, designed to hook more people into the ecosystem. Still, if Brian Bumbery can help drum up more support for Apple Music that can only be a good thing!
Source: Variety
