As announced a few weeks ago, Apple today discontinued its ad-supported iTunes Radio. Trying to open it will now redirect you to Apple Music.
It's easy to see why Apple would prefer if you signed up for the streaming service, which costs $10 per month following a free 3-month trial period. "With an Apple Music membership, listeners can access dozens of radio stations curated by our team of music experts, covering a range of genres, commercial-free with unlimited skips," an Apple spokesperson told Mashable in January.
However, Apple still offers an ad-supported, free radio station: Beats 1.
Launched in the summer of 2015 as part of the company's Apple Music launch, Beats 1 is a live online radio station, and today's change makes it Apple's only free radio option.
You don't have to sign up for Apple Music in order to listen to Beats 1, which is available worldwide (but not in all countries, see list here). It can be accessed from here, provided you have "Show Apple Music" option checked in iTunes' preferences.
A recent Financial Times report said Apple Music has 10 million paying subscribers; Apple's chief rival Spotify claimed it has 20 million paying subscribers in June.