The streaming music arms race moves up a notch with the news that Beats Music is opening its API to external developers. The timing of this is made all the more interesting following Beats buying up Topspin last week – only to be followed by Spotify buying The Echo Nest. There are rumours that Spotify may close down access to The Echo Nest’s API to other streaming music services in order to give it a key point of differentiation in the market (while simultaneously swelling the value of the company). There is, therefore, an element of symbolism that will be read into Beats’ timing of its announcement here. Beats Music has already opened its API up to others on a conditional basis (such as Sonos and Bop.fm) and this move is intended to get external developers on side as quickly as possibly. “This isn’t just about giving access to the catalogue of music,” Ian Rogers, Beats Music’s chief executive told CNet. “This is about people who are subscribers to a premium music service that has premium music features. As a subscriber you should have access anywhere.”
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