Former Spotify Executive Hired to Lead Apple Music's Label Relations

Apple has hired a former Spotify executive to head up its Apple Music label relations team, according to Business Insider.

An Apple spokesperson confirmed that former Spotify VP of content Steve Savoca has been recruited to oversee the music streaming service's global label relations, which work out of New York.

Savoca is tasked with building relationships with smaller, independent labels, with a focus on the international scene, according to the report.

Savoca is said to have haven been one of Spotify's first U.S. employees and worked for the Swedish streaming company for five years. Prior to that, he held senior digital and marketing roles roles at Domino Records, Zomba Label Group, and London-Sire.

Savoca is a musician himself, and played drums with a band called the Werefrogs during the 1990s, according to Billboard. He serves on the board of directors of the Music Business Association (formerly NARM) and previously sat on the board at Merlin.

In December 2016, Apple's Eddy Cue revealed that Apple Music has over 20 million paid subscribers. In October, Spotify said it had 40 million subscribers. Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine recently spoke of the company's desire to make Apple Music more than just a music streaming service, with "an entire pop cultural experience" planned that takes in original content including TV and audio.