By the end of this year, the subscriber base of Apple Music will reach almost 8 million – and hit about 20 million by the close of 2016, a top music industry analyst has predicted.
The analyst in question, Mark Mulligan, has cited these figures in MIDiA Research’s freshly-released ‘Predictions for 2016’ report. Mulligan has observed that Apple Music “went from zero to the No.2 streaming service in a matter of months in mid-2015”.
The rapid growth in the number of subscribers to Apple Music since its launch in June is clear for everyone to see; in October, Apple boss Tim Cook reported that this number had hit 6.5 million for those on the paid tier. This seemed to indicate that it was behind only Spotify in the music streaming market – and Apple looks set to solidify that position as 2016 progresses.
Speaking to Music Business Worldwide, which has quoted extensively from Mulligan’s comments about Apple Music in the MIDiA report, the analyst this morning hinted that the service’s “astounding pace” during 2015 could be attributed to Apple’s “well known … platform and marketing assets” and “clear commitment to making Apple Music work”.
