SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Music today announced Amazon Music Unlimited will become available in Australia and New Zealand starting February 1, giving music lovers in both countries access to a catalogue of more than 45 million songs and hundreds of playlists and personalised stations. Amazon Music Unlimited features hits from today’s top artists including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Khalid, and Big Sean, as well as hundreds of hand-curated playlists and personalised stations highlighting acclaimed local musicians including Vance Joy, Courtney Barnett, Gang of Youths, Sia and Morgan Evans. Beginning February 1, new subscribers can sign up for a free 90-day trial of Amazon Music Unlimited for a limited time, and discover the vast catalogue of unlimited, ad-free music streaming within the Amazon Music app for iOS, Android, PC, Mac, and on any Web browser at www.amazon.com.au/music.
Beginning today, customers in Australia can preorder an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Plus at www.amazon.com.au/echo, www.amazon.com.au/echodot and www.amazon.com.au/echoplus, with devices beginning to ship early next month. Customers in Australia and New Zealand may also purchase devices at select major retailers in early February. Customers who purchase an Echo device will be able to join the millions of listeners who have experienced the power of using voice for music by pairing Amazon Music Unlimited with Amazon Echo. By combining the ease of voice controls with an expansive catalogue of music, Amazon Music has reimagined the listening experience in the home around the world and now, for Australian and New Zealand users. Customers will be able to ask Alexa to discover and listen to the music they want based on mood, genre, era, artist name, and song or album title. By pairing Amazon Music Unlimited with Alexa and the power of voice, music streaming is now easier and more fun than ever before.
- Want to hear hits from a specific artist? “Alexa, play top songs by Kylie Minogue” or “Alexa, play the hits by Keith Urban.”
- Looking for a specific playlist? Just ask, “Alexa, play the ‘Divas Down Under’ playlist,” a selection of notable female artists from Australia and New Zealand.
- Interested in hearing a specific station or song? Simply say, “Alexa, play the ‘Top Australian Pop’ station” or “Alexa, play ‘Adore’ by Amy Shark.”
- Listeners can request music from a specific genre or decade, like “Alexa, play some 80s rock music.”
- For a lean back music experience, just say, “Alexa, play music” or “Alexa, play the latest hits” and a station based on your personal listening habits will begin.
“We’ve seen phenomenal feedback from customers who use Amazon Music Unlimited, and we’re thrilled to bring an entirely new world of music streaming possibilities to listeners in Australia and New Zealand,” stated Sean McMullan, Head of International Expansion for Amazon Music. “We’re opening doors for our customers to have access to an incredible catalogue of music, and to be able to listen to some of their favourite artists while using the power of voice in exciting new ways.”
In addition to top hits by the world’s hottest artists, Amazon Music Unlimited offers more than 150 playlists and stations featuring popular and emerging artists from the region. Tailored by local Amazon Music experts, playlists including “Women Crush Wednesday” showcases talented female singers from Australia and New Zealand, “Australian Rock Royalty” features five decades of music from rock legends, while “Top 50 Australia” and “Top 40 New Zealand” present songs from local charts, updated weekly so users can easily discover what’s trending and popular in their countries. Stations including “Top Dance,” “Top Alternative,” and “Acoustic Pop” are also available for endless playback across popular genres. Following the theme of spotlighting home-grown talent across the service, Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers can also enjoy their favourite kind of music from local artists with a handful of playlists continuously updated with music made exclusively by artists from Australia and New Zealand, spanning various genres including rock, country, and pop.
With the coming expansion, subscribers to the Individual Plan and Family Plan in Australia and New Zealand will have access to the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android, making a vast catalogue of more than 45 million songs available ad-free for offline playback on mobile devices, anywhere and anytime without an internet connection. Customers will find new releases by trending artists from around the world on the “Home” tab; find their own playlists, top artists and favourite songs, genres, albums and more with “My Music” and discover new picks on “Recommended” which highlights song, playlist and artist suggestions provided by Amazon’s celebrated recommendations engine. Starting February 1, customers can explore over 45 million songs with no limits on skips via iOS, Android, Web, PC and Mac in Australia and New Zealand.
Amazon Music Unlimited will be available through three monthly plan options: the Echo Plan, offering full access to Amazon Music Unlimited at the breakthrough price of $4.99AUD/month on a single Echo, Echo Dot or Echo Plus; the Individual Plan at $11.99AUD/month; or the Family Plan, coming soon, which will allow up to six members of a household to share a subscription for just $17.99AUD/month. Learn more at www.amazon.com.au/music.
About Amazon Music Unlimited
Amazon Music Unlimited provides access to tens of millions of songs by chart-topping artists, thousands of hand-curated playlists and personalised stations, as well as innovative natural voice controls powered by Alexa in more than 30 countries. The full catalogue, on-demand streaming service is available through Amazon Music app on iPads, iPhones, Android devices, laptops or online at www.amazon.com.au/music.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
