Apple Music's Club Live: DJ Sets Go Global

Apple Music has introduced Club Live, a new initiative designed to broadcast major festivals and club events worldwide. This expansion of Apple Music's dance music ecosystem seeks to position DJ mixes with the same cultural and financial importance as traditional albums.

The innovation behind Club Live involves proprietary technology utilizing Shazam. This system can identify every track within a DJ mix, determining ownership and ensuring all stakeholders, including DJs and rights holders, are compensated fairly. This addresses a persistent challenge in the dance music sector regarding equitable payment.

This development arrives as dance music experiences significant growth, with Luminate reporting an 18.9% year-over-year increase in U.S. on-demand audio streams. Apple Music's Club Live aims to be a primary platform for fans of these genres and events.

Club Live broadcast its first event from EDC Las Vegas in May. The service functions as a free, front-of-paywall portal, allowing global audiences to experience events like Tomorrowland and EDC. Apple Music's strategy is to empower the broader industry, amplifying existing broadcasts to reach a wider audience.

Apple Music's global head of dance, electronic, and DJ mixes, Stephen Campbell, emphasized the editorial leadership in curating content, focusing on freshness and cultural relevance over raw data. He highlighted the importance of dance music in youth culture and its global appeal.

The article is published in the August 1, 2026, issue of Billboard.