Apple Music, Universal Music Group Expand Sound Therapy With 151 Reworked Tracks

Apple Music and Universal Music Group (UMG) have expanded their Sound Therapy partnership with 151 reworked tracks, bringing familiar music into the growing audio wellness segment. Developed by Sollos, UMG’s audio wellness venture, the initiative combines popular recordings with specially engineered audio designed to support focus, relaxation and sleep.

Initially launched in 2025, Sound Therapy uses sound technology and principles informed by cognitive science to create alternative listening experiences while retaining the character of original compositions.

According to Digital Music News, the latest expansion includes more than eight hours of re-engineered music from artists such as Olivia Dean, Sam Smith, Shawn Mendes, Niall Horan, Jon Batiste and pianist-composer Chad Lawson.

The collection features extended remixes of tracks by Horan and Mendes, alongside a specially commissioned meditation mix of Batiste’s Always Know, from his album Monk Meditations. Lawson has also collaborated with Sollos to rework his album hush.

The tracks are organised around three listening categories: Focus, Relax and Sleep. Each category uses different auditory techniques designed to support specific listening goals.

Sollos has also cited findings from its research on the initiative, reporting that 91.9% of participants felt calmer after a Relax session, while 91.5% reported improved focus following a Focus session.

The expansion also includes a Sollos iOS app, available for free in the UK and US. Users with an active Apple Music subscription can access the music, record their mood before and after listening, and track their sessions over time.

What the expansion means for the music industry

The partnership highlights how established music catalogues can be adapted for emerging listening contexts beyond conventional streaming and entertainment. By reworking existing recordings for wellness-focused experiences, artists and rights holders can explore alternative ways of presenting music to audiences.

For the music business, the initiative also points to the growing intersection of music, technology and wellness. Alternate mixes, instrumental arrangements and ambient versions can give existing compositions new applications, depending on the rights, creative approach and target audience.

However, Sound Therapy remains a specific partnership involving UMG’s artists and Sollos, rather than an open programme for independent musicians. Its expansion nevertheless illustrates how catalogue owners and technology companies can collaborate to develop new listening formats around familiar music.

As audio wellness gains attention, such initiatives offer another example of how music can be adapted to different listener needs while retaining its connection to the original artist and composition.