In-Zane in the membrane: One station to rule them all? The verdict on Beats 1’s first month
Always on, crammed full of superstar DJs and with Zane Lowe at the helm, Apple Music’s flagship station presents itself as the future of radio. But how is it faring so far?
It started with a Brian Eno record, the sound of Zane Lowe testing the mics like he had nothing to hide. The calm before the storm, what followed was an endless supply of excitable delivery that hasn’t stuttered for one second.
Apple Music’s flagship station Beats 1 - aired in over 115 countries - is billed as the first global radio station, aired out 24-7. Initially Zane was the big draw, the return of radio’s biggest authority for new music, but since then the station has revealed a whole lot more. Guest DJs are of such high calibre they could fill out Worthy Farm on a whim. The worldwide effect has yet to show its hand, but London’s grime-glued impact is clear and Zane’s L.A. high life similarly so. It’s early days, but you’d be hard pressed to find a station shouting louder than Beats 1.
Whether it can maintain this relentless charge is another issue entirely. Below, we take a look at how far this global mission can truly go, and where things can improve.
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