Has Apple Been Considering a Subscription Music Service Since 2003? So Says Jimmy Iovine...

Related: Apple, Digital Music, Beats

Talking to All Things Digital about the launch of the new Beats Electronics Digital Music Service, CEO Jimmy Iovine revealed that the idea was one he'd discussed with famed Apple CEO Steve Jobs --- 10 years ago.

"In 2002, 2003, Doug asked me to go up to Apple and see Steve. So I met him and we hit it off right away. We were really close. We did some great marketing stuff together: 50 Cent, Bono, Jagger, stuff for the iPod - we did a lot of stuff together.

But I was always trying to push Steve into subscription. And he wasn't keen on it right away. [Beats co-founder] Luke Wood and I spent about three years trying to talk him into it. He was there, not there ... he didn't want to pay the record companies enough. He felt that they would come down, eventually.

I don't know what [Apple media head] Eddy Cue would say - I'm seeing him soon - but I think in the end Steve was feeling it, but the economics ...he wanted to pay the labels [for subscriptions], but [the fees were] not going to be acceptable to them."

Earlier this week, Beats Electronics LLC (Beats), the leading audio brand co-founded by legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovine, announced a new music service, project "Daisy" and the appointment of Ian Rogers as CEO. Rogers will oversee the direction, vision and strategy for project "Daisy" and the talented team developing the service.

Simultaneously, Rogerswill step into the leadership position at MOG, the streaming music service Beats acquired in 2012.

Effective immediately,Rogers reports directly to Beats CEO and Co-founder Jimmy Iovine and President and COO Luke Wood and is based out of the company's Santa Monica headquarters. The new service will benefit from the creative vision of music icon and newly appointed Chief Creative Officer Trent Reznor and is set to launch in late 2013 as a stand-alone company under the Beats Electronics umbrella.

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