Apple Music now in 60 countries Spotify is not, as it launches in South Korea

Apple Music has quietly yet significantly grown its global footprint this week – and is now in 60 territories where Spotify is unavailable.

First came Apple Music’s expansion into Israel on Wednesday (August 3), which took its total market count to 114.

The streaming service is on offer for NIS19.90 ($5.20) a month in the country, while a family membership – for up to six people apiece – is priced at NIS29.90 ($7.80) a month.

Today (August 5) we learn that Apple Music has reached 115 countries by arriving in another significant territory: South Korea.

Very significant, in fact: according to IFPI, South Korea is not only the eighth biggest recorded music territory in the world, but one of its fastest-growing – and most digitally reliant.

South Koreans benefit from the same three-month Apple Music free trial as other territories, after which they will pay the equivalent of $7.99 a month for an individual plan or $11.99 a month for a family plan.


MBW discovered back in February that Spotify was available in 59 countries, which it added to in March by arriving in Indonesia.

Apple Music, meanwhile, was alive in 113 markets in Feb, and has this week added two more.

Apple is now operating in 60 countries where Spotify doesn’t have a base – but Spotify is up-and-running in five markets where Apple Music is not (Andorra, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Uruguay).

In other words, Apple Music is in 55 more countries than Spotify as things stand today.

(You can see the full updated list and explanation for these numbers below.)

Spotify, meanwhile, has more than double Apple Music’s global subscribers. MBW sources suggest that Spotify had topped 35m subs, with Apple Music recently topping 16m.

Apple


Last year, South Korea generated $281.3m for labels and artists, according to IFPI – more than Italy, Brazil, The Netherlands, Sweden, Spain or China.

This figure was up 12.4% year-on-year, while 62% of it was made up by digital means (7% was performing rights, 31% phsyical).

Total streaming income in the territory hit $161.8m.

And in positive news for Apple, $152.7m of this figure was generated by paying subscribers – with just $9.1m from ad-funded platforms.

The Top 4 bestselling albums in South Korea last year came from EXO, signed to SM Entertainment.


APPLE MUSIC (115 countries – those where spotify unavailable have been bolded)

  1. Anguilla
  2. Antigua
  3. Argentina
  4. Armenia
  5. Australia
  6. Austria
  7. Azerbaijan
  8. Bahrain
  9. Barbados
  10. Belarus
  11. Belgium
  12. Belize
  13. Bermuda
  14. Bolivia
  15. Botswana
  16. Brazil
  17. British Virgin Islands
  18. Bulgaria
  19. Cambodia
  20. Canada
  21. Cape Verde
  22. Cayman Islands
  23. Chile
  24. China
  25. Colombia
  26. Costa Rica
  27. Cyprus
  28. Czech Republic
  29. Denmark
  30. Dominica
  31. Dominican Republic
  32. Ecuador
  33. Egypt
  34. El Salvador
  35. Estonia
  36. Fiji
  37. Finland
  38. France
  39. Gambia
  40. Germany
  41. Ghana
  42. Greece
  43. Grenada
  44. Guatemala
  45. Guinea-Bissau
  46. Honduras
  47. Hong Kong
  48. Hungary
  49. India
  50. Indonesia
  51. Ireland
  52. Israel
  53. Italy
  54. Japan
  55. Jordan
  56. Kazakhstan
  57. Kenya
  58. Kyrgyzstan
  59. Laos
  60. Latvia
  61. Lebanon
  62. Lithuania
  63. Luxembourg
  64. Macau
  65. Malaysia
  66. Malta
  67. Mauritius
  68. Mexico
  69. Micronesia
  70. Moldova
  71. Mongolia
  72. Nepal
  73. Netherlands
  74. New Zealand
  75. Nicaragua
  76. Niger
  77. Nigeria
  78. Norway
  79. Oman
  80. Panama
  81. Papa New Guinea
  82. Paraguay
  83. Peru
  84. Philippines
  85. Poland
  86. Portugal
  87. Romania
  88. Russia
  89. St Kitts & Nevis
  90. Saudi Arabia
  91. Singapore
  92. Slovakia
  93. Slovenia
  94. South Africa
  95. South Korea
  96. Spain
  97. Sri Lanka
  98. Swaziland
  99. Sweden
  100. Switzerland
  101. Taiwan
  102. Tajikistan
  103. Thailand
  104. Trinidad & Tobago
  105. Turkey
  106. Turkmenistan
  107. Uganda
  108. Ukraine
  109. UAE
  110. United Kingdom
  111. United States
  112. Uzbekistan
  113. Venezuela
  114. Vietnam
  115. Zimbabwe

Spotify (60 countries – those where apple music unavailable have been bolded)

  1. Andorra
  2. Argentina
  3. Australia
    • Norfolk Island
    • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
    • Christmas Island
  4. Austria
  5. Belgium
  6. Bermuda
  7. Bolivia
  8. Brazil
  9. Bulgaria
  10. Canada
  11. Chile
  12. Colombia
  13. Costa Rica
  14. Cyprus
  15. Czech Republic
  16. Denmark
    • Faroe Islands
    • Greenland
  17. Dominican Republic
  18. Ecuador
  19. El Salvador
  20. Estonia
  21. Finland
    • Åland Islands
  22. France
    • Mayotte
    • Réunion
    • French Polynesia
    • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
    • Wallis and Futuna
    • New Caledonia
  23. Germany
  24. Greece
  25. Guatemala
  26. Honduras
  27. Hong Kong
  28. Hungary
  29. Iceland
  30. Indonesia
  31. Ireland
  32. Italy
  33. Latvia
  34. Liechtenstein
  35. Lithuania
  36. Luxembourg
  37. Malaysia
  38. Malta
  39. Mexico
  40. Monaco
  41. Netherlands
    • Netherlands Antilles:
    • Sint Maarten
  42. New Zealand
    • Cook Islands
    • Niue
    • Tokelau
  43. Nicaragua
  44. Norway
    • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  45. Panama
  46. Paraguay
  47. Peru
  48. Philippines
  49. Poland
  50. Portugal
  51. Singapore
  52. Slovakia
  53. Spain
    • Balearic Islands
    • Canary Islands
    • Autonomous cities in North Africa:
      • Ceuta
      • Melilla
  54. Sweden
  55. Switzerland
  56. Taiwan
  57. Turkey
  58. United Kingdom
    • Falkland Islands
    • Gibraltar
    • Pitcairn Islands
    • Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
    • Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Cyprus)
    • Crown Dependencies:
      • Guernsey
      • Isle of Man
      • Jersey
  59. Uruguay
  60. US
    • American Samoa
    • Guam
    • Northern Mariana Islands
    • Puerto Rico
    • United States Minor Outlying Island
    • United States Virgin Islands

Note: Bermuda counted as standalone territory to match Apple Music. US Virgin Islands counted within ‘US’. Apple Music counts neighbouring territory British Virgin Islands separately.


Here’s the list of the 60 countries in which Apple Music is currently available but Spotify is not:

  1. Anguilla
  2. Antigua
  3. Armenia
  4. Azerbaijan
  5. Bahrain
  6. Barbados
  7. Belarus
  8. Belize
  9. Botswana
  10. British Virgin Islands
  11. Cambodia
  12. Cape Verde
  13. Cayman Islands
  14. China
  15. Dominica
  16. Egypt
  17. Fiji
  18. Gambia
  19. Ghana
  20. Grenada
  21. Guinea-Bissau
  22. India
  23. Israel
  24. Japan
  25. Jordan
  26. Kazakhstan
  27. Kenya
  28. Kyrgyzstan
  29. Laos
  30. Lebanon
  31. Macau
  32. Mauritius
  33. Micronesia
  34. Moldova
  35. Mongolia
  36. Nepal
  37. Niger
  38. Nigeria
  39. Oman
  40. Papa New Guinea
  41. Romania
  42. Russia
  43. St Kitts & Nevis
  44. Saudi Arabia
  45. Slovenia
  46. South Africa
  47. South Korea
  48. Sri Lanka
  49. Swaziland
  50. Tajikistan
  51. Thailand
  52. Trinidad & Tobago
  53. Turkmenistan
  54. Uganda
  55. Ukraine
  56. UAE
  57. Uzbekistan
  58. Venezuela
  59. Vietnam
  60. Zimbabwe

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