Apple Music goes live

Apple's new streaming service went live Tuesday with a flashy radio station and artist exclusives, as the company that dominated digital music through iTunes looks to the future.

Apple Music got started with the tech giant in the unusual position of being on the back foot, as Spotify leads the fast-growing market for streaming which offers on-demand, unlimited music.

The service is betting big on celebrity names to draw attention and scored a coup when pop superstar Taylor Swift agreed, after a heated dispute, to stream her blockbuster album "1989" only on Apple Music.

The centerpiece of Apple Music is Beats 1, which bills itself as a first global radio station, and will include guest hosts such as pop legend Elton John and rap entrepreneur Dr. Dre.

The radio station will remain free, even for users who do not pay the $9.99 a month to stream artists, and Apple has made the service integral to its latest operating system on iPhones.