Key facts
- Apple is opening a new concert venue in London.
- The venue is located under Apple's UK headquarters at Battersea Power Station.
- It will have a 600-capacity and host major recording artists and new bands.
- All shows will be filmed and broadcast live online via Apple Music.
- Apple Music's VP Oliver Schusser stated the venue has unparalleled camera and speaker technology for its size.
- The venue is intended to foster artist-fan connections and promote new music.
Apple is set to open a new, state-of-the-art concert venue in London, located beneath its UK headquarters at the Battersea Power Station. The 600-capacity venue, named Apple Music Hall, will host exclusive shows by major recording artists and emerging bands, with all performances being filmed and broadcast live online.
Oliver Schusser, Apple Music's vice president, told BBC News that the facility is equipped with more cameras and speakers than any venue of its size globally. This initiative comes at a time when London's live music scene is under significant pressure, with 45 venues closing in the capital last year alone, and approximately 400 clubs closing across Britain between 2020 and 2025.
Schusser emphasized that Apple's intention is not to compete in the live music business but to collaborate with artists, connect them with fans, and broadcast content via Apple Music. The venue is designed to be adaptable for various performance styles, from large productions to intimate acoustic sets.
Apple Music Hall represents Apple's return to hosting major live music events in London, following the discontinuation of the iTunes Festival nine years ago. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy lauded the development as a strong endorsement of the UK's creative industry.
The venue's design features sound-absorbing materials and a configurable stage. It will also house new studios for Apple Music's radio stations, DJ mixes, writing camps, and band rehearsals, enabling artists to record podcasts, appear on radio shows, and live-stream gigs within the same day.
This move is part of Apple's strategy to differentiate its music service from competitors like Spotify and Amazon Music by creating bespoke content. It addresses concerns raised by music mogul Jimmy Iovine, who suggested that streaming services lack a deep connection between listeners and music, describing them as "one dimensional."