Apple Music and Universal Music Group launch Sound Therapy: Will it disrupt the Wellness App market?

Universal Music Group (UMG) and Apple Music have announced the launch of Sound Therapy, a new audio wellness collection designed to enhance focus, relaxation, and sleep through a curated blend of music and specially engineered sound waves. This collaboration is part of a broader initiative by UMG to explore the therapeutic benefits of music and aligns with Apple’s commitment to health-focused technology.

“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,” – Michael Nash, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Universal Music Group.

Exclusive to Apple Music, the Sound Therapy collection aims to fuse familiar tracks from popular artists with auditory elements and is divided into three categories: Focus, Relax, and Sleep. The Focus category is engineered to enhance cognitive performance and concentration by integrating gamma auditory beats with white noise to mask distractions. The Relax category is built around theta waves that are known to aid in relaxation, while the Sleep category introduces delta waves and pink noise, mimicking natural sounds such as rainfall and ocean waves to promote deeper rest.

Tracks from popular artists including Imagine Dragons, Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, and Ludovico Einaudi have been reimagined in instrumental or extended formats to suit these auditory enhancements.

“Every day, people around the world make Apple Music part of their daily routine, and we’ve seen incredible engagement around our personalised mood playlists and the new Apple Music Chill radio station. Now, with Sound Therapy, we’re proud to work alongside UMG and Sollos to bring a new listening experience to Apple Music.” – Apple Music’s co-head, Rachel Newman.

The collection is the brainchild of Sollos, a music-wellness venture founded within UMG’s London offices. A team of producers, scientists, and audio engineers collaborated to design Sound Therapy, ensuring that each track maintains the artist’s original vision while benefiting from scientific research in psychoacoustics and cognitive science.

This collaboration between UMG and Apple might have been surprising but not unexpected, given Apple’s huge focus on Wellness initiatives – take for example, the Apple Music Chill radio station, which serves as a continuous flow of relaxing tracks and mindful moments.

However, the move also places Apple Music in direct competition with a slew of third-party wellness apps that have carved out significant followings on Apple’s ecosystem. Apps like Calm, Headspace, and Endel have been the go-to for users seeking auditory solutions for relaxation and focus. By integrating Sound Therapy directly into Apple Music, Apple effectively centralises wellness-focused audio under its own umbrella, making it a more seamless choice for users already within its ecosystem. Whether this added convenience will disrupt the established third-party offerings, only time will tell.

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