Apple Loves Its Music ... Strategically

Apple.  Even the name connotes music (remember that pesky little lawsuit by the Beatles about Apple Records?).

That love affair continued with the iPod years ago (remember that ground-breaking "Vertigo" ad with Bono and U2)?

And, it continues to this day.

Just witness yesterday's long-anticipated Apple-fest led by CEO Tim Cook (about which I wrote yesterday -- including my thoughts about its impact).  Cook's opening act yesterday was a discussion about the ongoing iTunes Festival.  20 Million fans tried to score tix to that one.  Think about that for one second!

Cook's encore at the very end of his big show featured music front and center once again, demonstrating that music is at the very core (get it? -- that's about all I got!) of Apple's DNA.  Cook, in fact, essentially said as such when he introduced Elvis Costello to sing a few songs (an interesting choice by the way -- certainly not who I would have expected to "wow" the crowd).

And, sandwiched in between was new iTunes Radio -- Apple's hoped-for Pandora and Spotify killer -- which comes in the form of a new free app.

From one music fan to the other, I "get" it.  Nothing evokes emotion like music.  And, Apple has always used music brilliantly ... and strategically.