Dr. Dre’s classic rap album, “The Chronic,” will make its first appearance ever on a streaming music service with this week’s launch of the Apple Music service.
The album will be available with tomorrow’s launch of the service, a source told Rolling Stone. Currently The Chronic is not available to stream on any platform — Spotify, for instance, only offers the follow-up album 2001, in original and instrumental versions.
Dre – real name Andre Young – was a co-founder of Beats, which was acquired by Apple in May 2014. The Chronic has not been available via Beats Music, the forerunner to Apple Music, nor has it been available for sale via iTunes.
The album’s absence from music streaming and downloading services may be partially due to Dre’s court battle with Death Row Records. The rapper reclaimed digital rights to the album in 2011, while the label retained physical sales rights.
The Chronic will join Taylor Swift’s 1989, and Pharrell William’s new single “Freedom,” as Apple Music exclusives.
AppleInsider notes Dr. Dre’s next album, once known as Detox, could become an Apple Music exclusive, that is, if it is ever released. The album was originally expected to have been released in 2003.
