Swedish Classical Record Label Acquired by Apple

Apple has acquired BIS Records, a 50-year-old Swedish record label with a focus on classical music, as part of its ongoing efforts to attract classical music fans.

BIS Records founder Robert von Bahr said Tuesday that Apple recently purchased his record company and plans to integrate it into its Apple Music Classical and Platoon music services.

Von Bahr, who recently turned 80, expressed that both BIS Records and Apple share a “fundamental belief in the importance of preserving audio quality,” highlighting Apple’s surround-sound spatial audio technology as something he finds interesting.

“BIS’s specialty has been to support young classical artists and promote innovative living composers, while safeguarding the musical treasure we all represent for the future,” von Bahr stated. “Apple, with its history of innovation and passion for music, is the perfect platform to usher in the next era of classical music, combining technology and tradition harmoniously.”

Apple did not provide a comment to CNBC regarding the price of the acquisition.

This acquisition further exemplifies Apple’s differentiation from streaming-music competitor Spotify by focusing on classical music.

In 2021, Apple acquired Primephonic, a classical music streaming service, for an undisclosed amount. Primephonic not only enables users to stream classical music but also features a comprehensive database of composers, orchestras, and conductors, enhancing the overall experience for classical music enthusiasts.

Recently, Apple launched its own Apple Music Classical streaming app, offering over five million classical tracks that can be searched by composer, conductor, or catalog number to current Apple Music subscribers.

In 2018, Apple acquired Platoon, a small music distribution and technology firm, to support musicians in promoting their songs and accessing streaming analytics.

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