On Monday, Apple (AAPL 0.00%) debuted Apple Music TV, a 24-hour streaming video service that most closely resembles the music video channels of the 1980s. The channel livestreams back-to-back popular music videos, along with "exclusive new music videos and premieres, special curated music video blocks, and live shows and events, as well as chart countdowns and guests," according to the announcement.
The service launched today with a countdown of the top 100 all-time most-streamed songs by U.S. audiences on Apple Music. Bruce Springsteen will be the headliner on Thursday in advance of his upcoming release Letter to You. Springsteen will be the subject of an "all day Bruce takeover," a special livestream fan event that will include blocks of his most popular music videos and an interview with Zane Lowe, the DJ for the Apple Music radio station.
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Apple Music TV is currently available only to U.S. audiences via the Apple Music and Apple TV apps and will be home to the company's original content, including interviews and concert films. The service will also feature exclusive video premieres from popular artists each Friday at noon Eastern time. This Friday will see the debut of Saint Jhn's "Gorgeous" and Joji's "777."
This is the latest step by Apple to make its ecosystem even stickier while also seeking to attract new users to its platform. The move follows years of speculation regarding how Apple would stake its claim in the music video arena.
For Apple's fiscal third quarter (ended June 27), its services segment, which includes Apple Music and Apple TV, had grown to 22% of the company's total revenue -- behind just the iPhone -- which illustrates the importance of the services segment to Apple's ongoing success.
