Apple Music and Universal link for Sound Therapy
In an interesting link up with a major label, Apple Music and Universal Music Group have got together to release a collection of music that combines creativity with science, called Sound Therapy.
The audio wellness collection leverages cognitive science and UMG artists, adding subtle auditory beats to well-known curated tracks, aiming to help listeners focus, relax, and sleep. It’s an evolution of Universal’s work on its own wellness app, also called Sollos.
What is this thing?
“We combine music and audio from some of the world’s best artists with cutting edge research into cognitive science and psychoacoustics, to create music and soundscapes which have been specifically engineered to help you focus, relax and sleep,” Sollos says on its site.
Sound Therapy blends songs subscribers already know and love with special sound waves designed to enhance users’ daily routines, while retaining the artist’s original vision.
The collection was crafted by a team of producers, scientists, and audio engineers at Sollos. Apple says it will work closely with Sollos and UMG to further establish scientific evidence supporting music and audio for improved wellbeing.
Songs are available in three categories: Focus, Relax, and Sleep. The music has been enhanced with auditory beats or colored noise to help encourage specific brain responses. Gamma waves and white noise may help with focusing; theta waves could aid in relaxation; and delta waves and pink noise — a deeper, gentler variation akin to rain or wind — might assist in achieving better sleep.
What they said
“For years, elevating music’s role in health and wellbeing has been a strategic priority for UMG, linked to a potentially significant commercial opportunity, as well as something that our chairman and CEO, Sir Lucian, and the entire management team are passionate about,” said Michael Nash, UMG’s executive vice president and chief digital officer.
“Given Apple’s leadership at the intersection of health and technology, the launch of Sound Therapy represents an important validation of our innovative, science-led Sollos initiative. We look forward to working closely with the team at Apple to expand the ways that music can be harnessed to improve the wellness benefits for its users.”
“Every day, people around the world make Apple Music part of their daily routine, and we’ve seen incredible engagement around our personalized mood playlists and the new Apple Music Chill radio station,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s co-head.
“Now, with Sound Therapy, we’re proud to work alongside UMG and Sollos to bring a new listening experience to Apple Music — one that’s grounded in artistry, shaped by innovation, and designed to support wellness.”
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