Apple Music sets up publishing division as it chases down Spotify
A former iTunes executive will lead the charge.
Apple Music has been on its way to overtake Spotify in terms of subscriber base for a while now. The service got a new boss, Oliver Schusser, this past April, as well. Now, Schusser's first major initiative appears to be the launch of Apple's own music publishing division, headed by Elena Segal, previously the Legal Director of iTunes. As an unnamed source told Music Business Worldwide: "Oliver wants to underline the importance of publishing and songwriters to Apple. That's what this move is all about."
It's easy to see what these major players are banking on for the future of the streaming market. While Spotify seems to be focusing on technology like hardware and voice control, Apple appears to want to focus on the artists and music business itself. As Rolling Stone notes, a publishing division could help the company make better music licensing deals, or it could just start signing artists -- and offering them development deals -- on its own. Either way, Apple's new focus on the publishing side of things is a clear sign of how the company wants to continue influencing the music world.
