Apple's Jimmy Iovine Apologizes for Saying Women 'Find it Very Difficult' to Find Music

Jimmy Iovine says Apple Music was created to make finding music “easier for everyone.” (Getty)

Jimmy Iovine has issued an apology for comments he made on CBS This Morning.

During an interview with Gayle King, Iovine, the golden-eared co-founder of Interscope Records and Beats By Dre, the latter of which was purchased by Apple in May 2014 for some $3 billion, stated, "I always knew that women find it very difficult at times – some women – to find music. And this helps makes it easier with playlists, curated by real people.“

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The music industry veteran, who was joined by R&B star Mary J. Blige for the interview, faced immediate backlash for what were deemed as sexist views on women and technology. Iovine appeared on the program in part to talk about the latest Apple Music ad, starring Blige, Kerry Washington and Taraji P. Henson.

Asked about the impetus for Apple Music, Iovine said: "I just thought of a problem: Girls are sitting around talking about boys. Or complaining about boys, when they have their heart broken or whatever. And they need music for that, right? It’s hard to find the right music. Not everybody knows a DJ."

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But later on Nov. 19, he backtracked, issuing the following statement:

"We created Apple Music to make finding the right music easier for everyone — men and women, young and old. Our new ad focuses on women, which is why I answered the way I did, but of course the same applies equally for men. I could have chosen my words better, and I apologize.”

King also came to Iovine’s defense, insisting that his quotes were taken out of context and imploring her nearly 1 million Twitter followers to watch the interview in full.

Watch the CBS This Morning interview below.