In August 2025, Apple surprised with an unprecedented move: its six 24/7 stations (Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, Apple Music One, Apple Music Country, Apple Music Club and Apple Music Chill) are available for free and ad-free on TuneIn, a platform that gathers more than 75 million monthly active listeners and works on more than 200 connected devices (cars, smart speakers, TVs, headphones, etc.).
Sources: GlobeNewswire | Podnews | AppleInsider
But why is this important? Because it is the first time that Apple Music “takes” its editorial radios out of its own application and puts them in the hands of a third party. Until now, everything happened within the Apple ecosystem. With TuneIn, the company places its stations in the same space where people already decide what to listen to: cars, speakers, offices or home.
For artists, this means greater exposure in everyday listening moments and a direct funnel to their catalog on Apple Music.
What does the Apple Music × TuneIn partnership include?
- Six free 24/7 stations: Apple Music 1, Hits, Country, Música Uno (Latin), Club and Chill.
- Multi-platform availability: TuneIn app/web and more than 200 connected devices.
- Strategic funnel: each playback on TuneIn can lead the fan to the artist's profile on Apple Music.
Benefits for artists
1. Massive and constant discovery: More radios = more opportunities to be heard in different contexts and countries.
Qualified traffic to the catalog: The stations act as a “free tester” for Apple Music: if the listener connects with a track, they can click straight to the artist's profile.
3. Editorial and brand promotion: Apple Music 1, Club and Chill integrate interviews, premieres and special blocks, ideal for boosting releases.
4. Bridge with Latino audiences: Apple Música Uno strengthens Hispanic presence and connects with new audiences on TuneIn.
5. Exposure in key spaces: Cars, loudspeakers and offices are environments where much of the music listening is decided.
Market impact
- Apple strengthens its “top of funnel” without the need for a freemium plan: editorial radio acts as a premium sample.
- For artists and labels, it is global coverage at no additional cost.
- Competitors with freemium plans (e.g. Spotify, Deezer) will face pressure from the organic exposure that Apple gains via TuneIn.
Limitations to consider
- Radio ≠ stream on-demand: live listening drives discovery, but the goal is to turn it into full streams.
- Availability by territory and device may vary.
- There is no open pitch as in Spotify: exposure depends on editorial programming, so management with distributor and PR is key.
Conclusion: open the dial, extend the range.
The arrival of Apple Music Radio on TuneIn marks a before and after for the Apple ecosystem: it opens the “garden” to a massive audience and places artists in more listening moments. The challenge now is to design strategies to convert that exposure into sustainable followers and streams.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Do I need a subscription to listen to Apple Music Radio on TuneIn?
No. They are free.
- Do they have ads?
No. Broadcasters are advertising-free.
- On which devices are they available?
On the TuneIn app and website, in addition to more than 200 connected devices.
- Does this increase my streams?
Indirectly yes. Radio drives searches and clicks to your Apple Music catalog.
- How do I get on these stations?
Through editorial programming coordinated with your distributor.