Women are too stupid to find music online, implies Apple Music CEO

Saturday, December 05, 2015 by: J. D. Heyes
Tags: women, music streaming, Apple itunes

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(NaturalNews) Did the Music CEO of one of the planet's largest technology companies just insult a little more than half the planet's human beings? That is how a growing number of women are taking it, and with good reason; they were just told they aren't capable of using Apple's online music services.

As reported by the UK's Telegraph:

"It's a problem we ladies just can't wrap our silly little heads round – how on earth do we go about finding music online? You know, those things called songs to listen to when we're with our girlfriends sobbing over having our fragile hearts broken by cruel boys."

Not to worry, ladies – there is a solution, at least that's according to Jimmy Iovine, the CEO of Apple Music. In a recent appearance on CBS This Morning, Iovine cheerfully explained how a newly developed product came about from his self-realization that females need special assistance with looking for music on the big, bad, intimidating Internet.

'Heartbroken women' can't surf for music?

"I've always known that women find it very difficult at times—some women—to find music," Iovine claimed. "And this helps makes it easier with playlists curated by real people.

"I just thought of a problem, you know, girls sitting around talking about boys, right, or complaining about boys when they're heartbroken or whatever.

"They need music for that, right? So it's hard to find the right music. Not everyone has the right list or knows a DJ or something."

Really, Iovine?

As Claire Cohen, writing for the Telegraph's "Lifestyle/Women" section responded:

"Thanks Jimmy but I'm pretty sure most 'heartbroken' women have noticed, though [sic] their warm and fragrant lady tears, that Adele's album has just been released and is taking over the planet.

"You'd have to be living on Mars to miss it – not just as a woman. (Although the singer has just announced that it won't be available on Apple Music or Spotify). And, as a species, we're hardly short of songs about heartbreak are we?"

As you might have imagined, Iovine – who was a co-founder of Beats by Dre (purchased by Apple in May of 2014) has since been, um, forced to walk back his insult.

In an interview with Billboard magazine, Iovine said, "We created Apple Music to make finding the right music easier for everyone — men and women, young and old.

"Our new ad focuses on women, which is why I answered the way I did, but of course the same applies equally for men. I could have chosen my words better, and I apologize."

Ironically, the Apple Music CEO was on the morning show to discuss a new advertising campaign being launched that features powerful female figures – Kerry Washington, "Empire" star Taraji P. Henson, and Mary J. Blige – in what was thought to be an appeal to a female audience.

However, judging by reaction on social media, Iovine didn't convince everyone of his sincerity.

'Too helpless are we?'

"It's not hard for women to find music at all, Jimmy Iovine. My 300-some LPs are neatly alphabetized and my label's releases have catalog#s," tweeted Alyssa DeHayes.

"You know what, it IS hard to find music women like, that's why I've blown about $2000 on music festivals / tickets this year," Alex Bruce-Smith tweeted.

Added Maeve Sinnott in her own tweet, "It's hard to find the right music. Not everybody... knows a DJ.' ?#AppleMusic So only ?#women have this problem? Too helpless are we?"

Apple Music is pretty user-friendly so it's not at all clear why Iovine would assume that only men are able to successfully navigate the app. But what is clear is that Iovine's initial statement signals a tone-deafness Apple Music's marketing department should never have allowed him to develop. If they'd been doing their jobs (i.e., providing him with better marketing research), he might never have said such a thing.

Then again, who knows? Maybe in his heart of hearts Iovine is just a chauvinist. Either way, he was called on it.

Sources:

Telegraph.co.uk

Telegraph.co.uk

Wired.com