Apple Music Classical Makes Its Debut on Android Devices

Classical music enthusiasts who own Android devices can now enjoy the sonic splendor of Apple Music Classical. The app, dedicated to classical music, was recently launched on the Google Play Store and is now available to Android users with an Apple Music or Apple One subscription. This Android launch comes before the release of an optimized app for iPad and Mac, surprising many.

Apple Music Classical's availability on Android can be traced back to Apple's acquisition of Primephonic, a classical music streaming service, in 2021. The tech giant announced its intentions to develop a classical music app following the acquisition, and Apple Music Classical was first introduced on iPhone earlier this year in March. With more than five million tracks and over 50 million data points, the app aims to provide a specialized search engine specifically designed for classical music aficionados.

The wealth of information contained within the app includes data attributes of over 20,000 composers, 115,000 unique works, and 350,000 movements. This data allows Apple Music subscribers to easily search and discover recordings from an expansive catalog. Understanding the unique nature of classical music, which often consists of multiple movements and tracks, as well as hundreds of recordings featuring different orchestras, conductors, and soloists, Apple has created a search experience tailored to the complexities of the genre.

Users can search for works using various keyword combinations, such as composer, work, opus number, conductor, artist, instrument, or even the name of the work itself. In addition, when a work is looked up on the app, all associated recordings are displayed along with a hand-picked "Editor's Choice" performance. It is speculated that Apple opted to launch the Android version of the app before the iPad and Mac versions because Primephonic already had an Android app, which will likely be replaced by Apple Music Classical.

Requiring Android 9 or later, Apple Music Classical is now available worldwide wherever Apple Music is offered, with the exception of China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Taiwan. As the app continues to gain traction, it marks a significant expansion in the classical music streaming market, catering to the unique needs of classical music lovers on both iOS and Android platforms.