As Apple Music launch looms, Metallica's Lars Ulrich 'excited to see where they take it'

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich says that his band —  early opponents of the digital music revolution — is on board with Apple's new streaming music service, and that he feels confident the company's leadership can take the business in the right direction for music fans.

"I think that Apple is just about the coolest company in the world," Ulrich said at Cannes Lions, according to the New York Post. "I am a huge supporter of Apple and all their products, and I have been fortunate enough to meet most of the people there, a lot of the people who make key decisions, and I feel very safe with them."

Ulrich added that his band is primarily concerned with making its music more accessible to fans. "Ultimately, this is about getting the music out to the fans and we feel safe," he said.

Metallica's endorsement comes as Apple exits a rocky stretch for its soon-to-launch service that saw many artists, including megastar Taylor Swift, pan the company's policy of not compensating rights holders during Apple Music's three-month free trial period. Apple eventually relented, and announced over the weekend that it will indeed pay royalties while users evaluate the new offering.

Apple Music —  which is set to debut next week —  will challenge streaming incumbents like Spotify by offering a more meticulous, human-curated approach to music discovery. It will also bring along a new twenty-four-seven worldwide streaming radio channel, dubbed Beats 1, helmed by former BBC DJ Zane Lowe.