AlphaTheta has announced Apple Music integration with the CDJ-3000X, the company’s flagship multi-player, bringing streaming access to the industry-standard club deck. The update gives Apple Music subscribers access to over 100 million songs directly from the unit via a new StreamingDirectPlay feature.
The integration works through CloudDirectPlay and Rekordbox. Once you’ve set things up (and for the record, we couldn’t – still trying to figure out why), you authenticate by holding a smartphone, logged into Apple Music via Rekordbox for iOS or Android, over the NFC touch area on the CDJ-3000X’s front panel. From there, you will be able to browse, preview, and select tracks from Apple Music’s catalogue using the player’s 10.1-inch touchscreen.
This brings Apple Music to the same ecosystem as other major DJ platforms. The “DJ with Apple Music” programme already includes integrations with Algoriddim’s Djay Pro, Serato, and inMusic’s Engine DJ, Denon DJ, Numark, and Rane hardware. With this integration comes an AlphaTheta DJ Mix Curator Page on Apple Music featuring mixes and playlists curated by the company.
Our Thoughts
Apple Music is a huge streaming service, but it’s not the obvious choice for CDJ users – that honour still goes to Beatport. But CDJs are increasingly being used away from purist nightclub environments nowadays, whether at private events, corporate functions, or in home set-ups where having access to the world’s second-biggest music streaming service (after Spotify, which still has no CDJ integration) directly on the decks can’t be a bad thing.
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For hobbyist DJs and those using CDJs for practice or casual gigs, this opens up a lot of possibilities. For professionals in club environments, it’s probably not changing much – but it’s another option to have in the toolbox. Head to AlphaTheta’s website for more info.
Phil Morse
