Apple Music - initial impressions

Apple Music was released today, and just like the entire internet west of Androidia, I updated my devices so I could try it out. Here are my initial impressions. They will surely be moderated with time.

Getting started was easy. That’s great. And browsing through the music catalog is very nicely designed. Unfortunately, the first tracks I browsed to were broken. Not because of something Apple did, but because the publisher didn’t pay enough attention when he ripped the CD!. Long story… I know the guy… but I wish Apple would have some algorithm in store to detect these weird anomalies.

I had heared good things about “For You”, so I fired it up. I like baroque music. That is what I want it to find. So I got the circles, and the closest match was Classical. Ok, double tap on that and Next. Then my only choice was Bach. Really?! Oh, there’s a “More artists” button (Artists? You mean composers, right?), and that got me one more: Vivaldi. But it insists I had to choose three. And there were no more baroque composers to choose from. Also no renaissance, early 16th century or even Rococco. Bah. So I chose Beethoven. I don’t plan to listen to much Beethoven. Nothing against the guy, but I wanted to listen to baroque music.

So I hit done, and for the first screen there is absolutely nothing that is classical music! Also nothing for the second screen, and by the end of the third screen there’s Brahms. Really? He’s no baroque composer. Fourth screen, nothing classical ethere either. And at the end of the fifth screen, there’s Beethoven. I guess “For You” is not for me. Apple Music has a lot of great baroque music. But it lacks discovery of this at the moment. I look forward to it being added.