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The
attorneys general want to know whether music labels colluded or
were pressured into favoring Apple's paid music subscription
service, which was released on Monday.
Apple launched Apple Music on Monday, a $9.99-a-month streaming
music service that will likely alter the dynamics of how
consumers listen to music as the music industry grapples with
declines in downloaded songs and tries to figure out new ways to
get people to pay for music.
In a letter to the New York Attorney General, Universal Music
Group said it had no agreements with Apple or music companies
like Sony Music and Warner Music that would impede the
availability of free or ad-supported services, or prevent it
from licensing its recorded music to any music streaming
service.
Universal Music also said it offers limited exclusive content to
some music streaming services where such exclusivity is not part
of an agreement to restrain competition.
"This letter is part of an investigation of the music streaming
business, an industry in which competition has recently led to
new and different ways for consumers to listen to music," said
Matt Mittenthal, a spokesman for the New York attorney-general,
Eric Schneiderman.
"To preserve these benefits, it's important to ensure that the
market continues to develop free from collusion and other
anticompetitive practices."
An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the investigation.
Reuters could not immediately reach Connecticut Attorney General
George Jepsen for comment outside regular U.S. business hours.
The investigation was earlier reported by the New York Times.
(Reporting by Supriya Kurane in Bengaluru; Editing by Anupama
Dwivedi)
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