Apple Music has the exclusive rights to "Clive Davis: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives," which airs in New York City this week at the annual artistic confab. The film's director, Chris Perkel, tweeted the announcement.

"Apple is a global innovator that has revolutionized the distribution of music," Davis said in a statement. The acquisition highlights Apple's methodical approach to becoming a taste-maker in the video content business.

The documentary film profiles Davis, who helped launch the careers of musical icons like Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston and Santana. For Apple, the film joins a line-up of music-and-tech themed documentaries like Taylor Swift's "1989 World Tour," and shows like "Carpool Karaoke" and "Planet of the Apps."

Davis' profile also fits with the company's long tradition of paying homage to visionary thinkers, like the company's "Think Different" commercials that celebrated those who "push the human race forward."

Now, Apple is fighting those battles again, with new mediums and content. Apple's content boss Eddy Cue has reportedly been in and out of meetings with Paramount Pictures and Sony TV.

The combination of piecemeal purchases on iTunes and Apple Music could eventually make Apple a one-stop hub for all kinds of content, Harding said. It also puts Apple Music out on the edge with services like Hulu and Spotify that are branching out into new types of content like virtual reality and podcasts.

Plus, Apple has the cash to outspend almost any rival. CEO Tim Cook told analysts on a conference call last quarter that there "there's not a size that [Apple] would not do" when it comes to media acquisitions.

"One thing they can do is just write a giant check," Harding said. "It's frustrating in the artist space that more artists aren't doing this...There's a lot of artists interested, it's just finding the funding."

Source: cnbc