Apple Music announces new technology that solves copyright for DJ mixes

Apple Music has announced plans for a game-changing initiative to solve the copyright issues behind uploading and streaming DJ mixes, making it easier for DJs to upload their mixes to the platform. 

Building on the technology made famous by Shazam, Apple has engineered a system that is able to recognise and compensate the individual creators of tracks worked into a DJ mix, including creators behind the music itself. This revolutionary technology means that uploading and promoting mixes will be simpler for DJs who may usually see their work muted or taken down due to copyright infringements. 

Apple Music has been placing increasing focus on the promotion of mixes compared to other competing streaming services such as Spotify or Tidal. Targeting this area of the market, they have already partnered with significant conglomerates in dance music such as Boiler Room, Tomorrowland and Mixmag to bring sets and DJ mixes to the streaming platform. Significantly this new technology sees Apple partner with German techno and house label !K7 who run the iconic DJ-Kicks series. Apple’s technology will allow !K7 to upload mixes from their archives dating back to the 90’s, making these previously copyright bound sets available for streaming. 

Speaking on the partnership, !K7 founder Horst Weidenmueller expressed this was a “big moment” for the label, “Through the partnership with Apple we finally have a place to celebrate DJ-Kicks with additional 14 editions which haven’t been in the market for over 15 years.”