BY J. CLARA CHAN | HollywoodReporter.Com

Troy Warren for CNT #Digital

The tech giant will launch a separate classical music streaming app next year that incorporates Primephonic’s interface.

Apple Music has acquired Primephonic, a leading classical music streaming service, and plans to launch a separate classical music streaming app next year, the company said on Monday.

With the acquisition, Apple Music subscribers will get access to exclusive audio content and Primephonic’s curated playlists, as well as improved search features that will make it easier for users to look up and stream pieces by composer and repertoire — functions that typically are lackluster on mainstream streaming services, where classical pieces can get lost in the mix or be difficult to track down when artist metadata, for example, might include anyone from the composer to the conductor to the soloist.

Primephonic launched in the U.S. in 2017, with prices beginning at $7.99 a month, and became popular among classical music aficionados for its improved user interface that catered to the specifics of the genre and industry. With its sale to Apple Music, Primephonic will shut down on Sept. 7 and existing subscribers will be given six months of Apple Music for free.

The separate classical music app from Apple Music launched in 2022 will use Primephonic’s interface and include other added features, Apple said in its Monday announcement.

“We love and have a deep respect for classical music, and Primephonic has become a fan favorite for classical enthusiasts,” Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, said. “Together, we’re bringing great new classical features to Apple Music, and in the near future, we’ll deliver a dedicated classical experience that will truly be the best in the world.”

“Bringing the best of Primephonic to Apple Music subscribers is a tremendous development for the classical music industry,” Thomas Steffens, Primephonic’s co-founder and CEO, added. “Artists love the Primephonic service and what we’ve done in classical, and now we have the ability to join with Apple to deliver the absolute best experience to millions of listeners. We get to bring classical music to the mainstream and connect a new generation of musicians with the next generation of audience.”