Deezer speaks out: Isn’t worried about Apple Music

As you may have heard, Apple have announced details about their new music streaming service, Apple Music. It’s due to be released on June 30 with a free 3-month trial with plans starting at US$9.99 per month. Personally, I am excited by this as iTunes has a huge catalogue of music, some of which isn’t available on other streaming services like Spotify or Deezer – that’s assuming the entire iTunes catalogue will be available on Apple Music, of course (I’m looking at you Taylor Swift).

Even though Apple Music has been touted as the next big thing in the Music industry, should the current leaders be scared? Spotify, Rdio and Deezer have been around for a long time and combined, have 76 million users (both paid and free, excluding Rdio*). Well, perhaps they should be scared. With the availability of instant (and free – for 3 months) music streaming right from a new Mac or iOS device, users may not need to stray from the Apple ecosystem. Additionally, there won’t be the hassle of having to find a music service, signing up, entering credit card details and all that jazz – Apple Music will be there, ready to go, just with your Apple ID. Easy? Probably.

Well, CEO of Deezer, Hans-Holger Albrecht has released a statement effectively saying that they aren’t worried. While Deezer certainly tries to set itself apart from the other streaming services with having the ability to stream CD quality audio, it still offers the same idea. Here’s a quote:

“As we’ve grown, we’ve become experts in personalisation and curation by building our catalogue and expertise across the globe – in more than 180 countries. Ultimately, consumers will decide which streaming service meets their needs best – the biggest brand might not necessarily offer the best fit for them, and the jury is out on Apple Music.

We know the streaming business. Deezer’s strategy is to provide the best audio offering. We’re prioritising things like sound quality, having the best choice in the market and the biggest and most diverse music catalogue in the world. We know that success is built on global reach, providing local relevance and creating the best experience for users. Our ambition is simple: to give people the best music discovery and listening experience available.”

So what do you think? Should services like Deezer and Spotify be worried about the upcoming release of Apple Music? Let us know in the comments…