Apple iTunes ranking is already seen by some of the stars as a benchmark for their popularity. Will the newly launched iTunes Radio start a radio war between the stars? The new platform can be used to premiere songs.

Speaking to Entertainment weekly, Eddy Cue, Head of iTunes outlined the strategy of the company. The thrust is still to provide customization to the customers, while at the same time helping them to discover new music.

The difference between the iTunes store and iTunes radio, explained Eddy Cue, was that the iTunes store experience was similar to visiting a bricks and mortar store. Fans would need to go to a particular section of the store to stream the new songs.

The iTunes radio is expected to make the whole process much more intuitive, allowing the users to sample new songs without having to consciously hunt for it. This could potentially increase the user experience as new songs from their favourite artists are made available.

The iTunes radio could also help artists to promote their upcoming album, by allowing the fans to sample a few songs from the album before the actual launch. Many artists already make some of their upcoming songs available on iTunes.

Will the iTunes Radio be a new platform for pop stars and other artists to compete for popularity? In an era where it is possible to determine which particular song is trending by the hour, the new platform could raise the temperatures further!

Streaming the songs ahead of the actual launch serves two purposes, first it helps reduce the incentive to leak the song to the public and second, if the song gains popularity, it can substantially increase the album sales.

Eddy Cue also spoke about a Justin Timberlake album that was on the iTunes radio a few days ago. The album was apparently leveraged for the iTunes radio. So, the platform is turning out to be complimenting the store, the users and the artists.

The platform also encourages competition, according to the interview. The iTunes radio was seen by some as a "Pandora Killer." Will the iTunes radio dominate the streaming radio space?