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Vice is making a documentary series exclusively for Apple Music

Vice is making a documentary series exclusively for Apple Music

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The show adds to Apple's growing stable of original video content

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Apple has signed up over 11 million subscribers for its music streaming service thus far, and its increasingly giving those customers access to more than just songs. From music videos by Drake to documentaries on Taylor Swift to a weekly show with DJ Khaled, the service has been bolstering its offering with video content focused on big names in music. Last month, we learned about a TV show starring Dr. Dre, a drama called Vital Signs. Today, Apple and Vice Media took the wraps off a new series, The Score, a six-part collection of short documentaries focused on local music scenes from around the world, with the first episode focusing on the Native America rap scene around Minnesota's Red Lake.

It seems unlikely that Apple will ever make much money on its streaming services, at least not compared to the tens of billions in pulls in each quarter from selling hardware. The main goal for Apple Music is to make the iOS ecosystem more attractive to consumers, and to retain the cultural cache the company earned with products like the original iPod and iTunes. Each episode of the new Vice series will get an accompanying playlist on Apple Music. The emphasis on mixing music and video makes sense, as YouTube Red and its dedicated YouTube Music app are making a play for the same market as Apple Music. Even Spotify is getting into the act, adding a selection of short video clips to its mobile app.

As for Vice, the series continues the media company's quest to expand its footprint to new platforms. What began as a paper magazine is now a sprawling empire, with websites, a music label, and even a dedicated cable channel. The first episode of The Score is available for streaming right now, and you can get a taste for what its like in the trailer below.