Apple Music head talks Streaming 2.0, artist value, and whether price rises are coming
As Apple Music turns 10, VP Oliver Schusser discusses the platform’s artist-centric philosophy, what lies ahead, and why price increases aren’t a given.
Earlier this week, Apple Music’s Vice-President Oliver Schusser spoke with Music Week following the “F1 The Movie” premiere – an Apple Original film. Schusser opened up beyond the special radio programes and the new LA artist studio that will be opening to celebrate 10 years of Apple Music. He also reflected on the platform’s first decade, and perhaps more importantly, its plans for the next one.
Are Apple Music price rises coming?
With music streaming now reaching saturation in major markets, there’s growing pressure on platforms to raise prices to increase revenues. Many in the industry point out that today’s average revenue per user is still well below the peak levels of music spending in the late 90s.
However, Schusser isn’t phased by these industry expectations to gradually increase prices. Instead, he makes it clear that Apple Music is focused on providing both great value for customers and empowering artists.
Despite Apple Music being the first platform to increase prices a couple of years ago after adding Spatial Audio, Schusser believes it was a fair value exchange for the new feature. As the value to customers increased, so did the price.
He also took time to double down on comments made last month, strongly opposing the idea that music should be offered for free. He shades Apple Music’s competitors in the process, as they’re the “only service that doesn’t have a free service”. This only shows Apple Music’s focus on artists, which has been central to its mission since the beginning.
“We’re completely and fundamentally against free music because the pay-per [stream] rates are just too small. It’s unfair and it’s not artist- and songwriter-friendly. We want everyone to be paid and compensated well.”
Oliver Schusser, Apple Music Vice President via Music Week
So, is Apple Music planning to increase prices again soon? It sounds like any increases will only come when they can justify them with new features or meaningful improvements that actually add value for customers.
The next chapter: What does the future hold for Apple Music?
The music streaming world is pushing towards its next era- Streaming 2.0. This next phase means a more premium experience for customers, smarter features, and the wider adoption of artist-centric principles. All in all, helping to drive more revenues too.
In some ways, Schusser echoes these views. While other music formats have historically come and gone, he believes the streaming model is here to stay as it offers fans unprecedented access to music. Now the goal is to make that experience even better.
As for Apple Music, that means tech. Schusser points to AI as the next big opportunity to improve the service, create more opportunities for artists, and maintain music’s relevance. This ties into recent announcements from WWDC25, where Apple revealed a host of new features for Apple Music. In particular: a new AI AutoMix tool that uses beat-matching to seamlessly transition between songs. Rumors have also been bubbling about AI-powered playlists too.
These new features are expected to roll out with Apple’s upcoming software update in September. Could they come with a price increase? Possibly. Schusser’s comments suggest that Apple Music would only increase prices if the added value for customers justifies doing so.
Apple Music’s mission
Whatever lies ahead, Schusser made one thing crystal clear: Apple Music is committed to providing customers with premium quality and supporting the people who make music.
At a time where the industry is being disrupted by AI and Streaming 2.0, Apple Music’s mission remains the same. Whether it’s through a new studio for artists or new features, Apple Music’s continues to champion: “premium features, premium quality, focused on music and focused on artists”.