| Cult of Mac

Spotify is finally making moves to go public

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Spotify
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Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Music’s biggest competitor is about to become a publicly traded company.

In an effort to finally become profitable, Spotify has reportedly filed IPO documents confidentially with the SEC and the stock could be available to the public soon.

How Jimmy Iovine plans to save Apple Music’s ‘soul’

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Iovine
Apple Music boss Jimmy Iovine at WWDC 2015.
Photo: Apple

Apple Music has already racked up more than 30 million paid subscribers, but according to boss Jimmy Iovine, the company still has a long way to go before its satisfied with its streaming service.

The former Beats CEO turned Apple exec sat down for a new interview along with Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe to talk about the future of the service. During the wide-ranging discussion, the Apple Music team revealed how it thinks music streaming has to change in order to dominate free rivals like YouTube.

City slickers will hate this new countrified Apple Music ad

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Apple Music
Brantley Gilbert and his posse star in the Apple Music ad.
Photo: Apple Music

Country music fans can take a motorcycle ride through the heart of rural America with singer Brantley Gilbert in the latest ad for Apple Music.

Apple released its new ad today that showcases Gilbert’s love for small towns and Harleys while also promoting the companies music streaming service. The minute long ad features songs from Gilbert, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Born to Be Wild. But for those that hate country, Brantley tosses some Kendrick Lamar into the mix too.

Check it out:

Jay Z takes shots at Jimmy Iovine and Apple Music on latest album

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Jay Z
Jay Z's got 99 problems, and Apple Music is one.
Photo: Flickr/NRK P3

The new album from Jay Z is nearly impossible to stream through legal methods this week, but if you are one of the lucky few that gets to listen to it, you’ll hear the Jigga Man taking shots at one of his biggest rivals: Apple Music.

On one of the tracks for his album 4:44, Jay Z — owner of the struggling music streaming service Tidal — calls out Apple Music boss Jimmy Iovine and talks about his beef with Apple saying he wants more than what Apple offers artists.

Tidal loses third CEO in two years

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Jay Z
Jay Z can't find a reliable CEO.
Photo: Flickr/NRK P3

Jay Z’s struggling Tidal music streaming service is saying goodbye to its third CEO in two years.

The company reportedly parted way with top executive Jeff Toig, though no replacement has been named. Tidal has had a revolving door of CEOs during its troubled history. Toig took over the reigns of Tidal just 18 months ago.

Spotify job listings hint at hardware ambitions

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mighty-spotify-streaming-player
Could Spotify make a modern iPod?
Photo: Mighty Audio

Apple’s biggest competition in the music streaming business may be preparing to become a hardware rival, too.

Jobs listings posted by Spotify indicate the company is planning to make a hardware play. Spotify says it’s working on a “category defining product,” but based on what the company compares it to, Apple might not have much to worry about.

Spotify copies Apple Music with Carpool Karaoke knockoff

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T-Pain will be the first rapper to star in 'Traffic Jams.'
T-Pain will be the first rapper to star in 'Traffic Jams.'
Photo: Spotify

The race to create the hottest karaoke show in the U.S. is heating up now that Spotify has revealed it is making a TV show that will feature artists performing while rolling through Los Angeles traffic.

Spotify is calling the show Traffic Jams. And while it has a lot in common with Apple Music’s Carpool Karaoke, Spotify hopes some key difference will set its show apart.

Apple Music’s new ads highlight the best of British music

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apple-music
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Photo: Apple

Apple has published a new series of ads for its music streaming service and just like its last ads for AirPods, the new spots focus on the U.K. market.

The two new Apple Music ads originally aired during the BRIT awards last month, but Apple just added them to its YouTube channel. Beats 1 radio host Julie Adenuga narrates the ads which highlight a bevy of British artists while talking about Apple Music’s best features.

Check ’em out:

Spotify eyes lossless audio to wow your ears

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Spotify
CD quality audio is coming to Spotify.
Photo: James Merithew/Cult of Mac

Spotify appears poised to put the final nail in Tidal’s coffin.

The music streaming service is planning to launch a new feature that will give listeners access to lossless audio streaming, according to a new report reveals the feature is currently in testing.