Despite being Apple Music & iTunes exclusive, Future's 'EVOL' tops Billboard charts
Apple's exclusive agreements with artist Future are paying dividends, as the rapper's latest album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, propelled solely by streams through Apple Music and iTunes downloads.
Future's latest release, "EVOL," sold the equivalent of 134,000 copies, topping the charts, according to Nielsen Music. The album's release marks the second time that an Apple-exclusive from Future has reached No. 1 on the charts, matching his collaboration with Drake, "What a Time to Be Alive," from last September.
Since the debut of the Apple Music subscription streaming service, Apple has had two chart-topping exclusives, both from Future.
Apple executive Jimmy Iovine issued a statement on the success of the album to The New York Times on Monday, touting that Apple Music offers "a complete ecosystem that, when fully used by artists and labels, has extraordinary results."
Timed exclusive agreements with artists are becoming something of an arms race in the digital music world, where major players are vying for streaming supremacy.
Notably, rapper Kanye West released his latest album, "The Life of Pablo," this week exclusively on Tidal, a streaming service of which he is part owner. In addition, the previous No. 1 album --?Rihanna's "Anti" -- was also a Tidal exclusive.
Like Apple Music, Tidal is available for $10 per month, but it also offers a $20 tier with lossless audio.
Apple's exclusive deal with Future led to heavy promotion of "EVOL" across the iPhone maker's platforms. The Times noted that the album premiered in its entirety on DJ Khaled's Beats 1 radio show.
Apple revealed last week that Apple Music currently has 11 million paid members. In addition to a $10-per-month single-user plan, Apple also offers a $15-per-month family plan that can be shared by up to six people.
Future's latest release, "EVOL," sold the equivalent of 134,000 copies, topping the charts, according to Nielsen Music. The album's release marks the second time that an Apple-exclusive from Future has reached No. 1 on the charts, matching his collaboration with Drake, "What a Time to Be Alive," from last September.
Since the debut of the Apple Music subscription streaming service, Apple has had two chart-topping exclusives, both from Future.
Apple executive Jimmy Iovine issued a statement on the success of the album to The New York Times on Monday, touting that Apple Music offers "a complete ecosystem that, when fully used by artists and labels, has extraordinary results."
Timed exclusive agreements with artists are becoming something of an arms race in the digital music world, where major players are vying for streaming supremacy.
Notably, rapper Kanye West released his latest album, "The Life of Pablo," this week exclusively on Tidal, a streaming service of which he is part owner. In addition, the previous No. 1 album --?Rihanna's "Anti" -- was also a Tidal exclusive.
Like Apple Music, Tidal is available for $10 per month, but it also offers a $20 tier with lossless audio.
Apple's exclusive deal with Future led to heavy promotion of "EVOL" across the iPhone maker's platforms. The Times noted that the album premiered in its entirety on DJ Khaled's Beats 1 radio show.
Apple revealed last week that Apple Music currently has 11 million paid members. In addition to a $10-per-month single-user plan, Apple also offers a $15-per-month family plan that can be shared by up to six people.
Comments
Bad news the taste in music in the world is declining. (Re: this from some one that likes Shake That Thing by Bill Wirges and Banjo Buddy)
Is the exclusivity short, medium or long term ?
Will people have to subscribe to 2 or more streaming services to listen to all of their favourite artists ?
Hopefully they will be short-term and the practice short-lived.
If Apple is directly dealing with Future, the news of him topping the charts is going to fast-track artists by-passing the label and signing up directly with Apple.
They may need to self-publish if they want to release CDs and Vinyls though.
https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Future_EVOL?id=Bu236nz3v5ul7ivsc4q23ej7cie
EDIT: Ah, it was exclusive for a week.
"The moody Atlanta rapper scored his third straight No. 1 album on the Billboard chart with his latest release, “EVOL”(Freebandz/A1/Epic), which sold the equivalent of 134,000 albums including downloads and streams, according to Nielsen music. “EVOL” was available only through Apple Music and iTunes for its first week, making it the music service’s second exclusive No. 1."
“EVOL” was pushed by Apple Music via a variety of its channels: Ahead of the album’s release, the D.J. Zane Lowe debuted a Future song with an unprintable title on his Beats 1 radio show, while “EVOL” was first played in its entirety on the initial episode of DJ Khaled’s “We the Best Radio.” (Future’s new music also scored a commercial for Beats headphones, a division of Apple, ahead of the Super Bowl."
It may become a pattern: "Last week’s No. 1, “Anti” by Rihanna, was for its first week streaming only on Tidal"
At least those "exclusives" don't remain so very long, about a week with the recent ones.