Apple Music was launched all the way back in 2015, and from the start, there"s been a component that may be overlooked - the Beats 1 radio station, a worldwide radio stream that can be tuned into at any time. Today, the Cupertino company is expanding its radio efforts with the launch of two new stations - Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country - plus a rebranding of Beats 1 to Apple Music 1.
Apple now refers to the collective of radio stations as "Apple Music radio", and you"ll see the branding in the logo for each station. Apple Music 1 remains Apple"s flagship station, touted as "the global destination for artists from around the world to release new music, break news, and speak directly to their fans". It features shows from popular artists such as Billie Eilish, Elton John, and The Weeknd, and there are also shows focused on Latin music from around the world.
The new stations, Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country have a more specific focus, with the latter being fairly obvious based on its name. It features a number of shows from known names in the country music industry, such as Like Bryan and Carrie Underwood. As for Apple Music Hits, its focus is on highlight the biggest hits from the 80s, 90s, and 00s, and features shows from artists such as the Backstreet Boys, Alanis Morisette, and others.
The new radio stations are now available on just about every platform where you can use Apple Music.