New York and Connecticut attorney generals examining whether music labels colluded over new streaming service or were pressured into favouring it

Just days after announcing its streaming music service, Apple is being investigated for signs of potential anti-competitive action over its negotiations with the music industry.

The investigation, by the New York attorney general’s office and its counterpart in Connecticut, is looking at whether music labels colluded over the tech group’s new streaming service, Apple Music, which was announced on Monday, or were pressured into favouring it.

The investigation came to light when the New York attorney general released a letter from Universal Music Group which said that it had no agreements with Apple or companies such as Sony Music and Warner Music that would impede the availability of free or ad-supported services, or prevent it from licensing its recorded music to any streaming service.

Universal Music also said it offers limited exclusive content to some music streaming services where such exclusivity is not part of an agreement to restrict competition.

“We understand that the investigation concerns whether participants in the music industry are seeking to act collusively to restrain competition among music streaming services, in particular, by working together to suppress the availability to consumers of free, advertising-supported, on-demand music streaming or similar services, such as those offered by Spotify and YouTube,” said Universal’s head antitrust lawyer, Eric J. Stock, in the letter.

“This letter is part of an investigation of the music streaming business, an industry in which competition has recently led to new and different ways for consumers to listen to music,” said Matt Mittenthal, a spokesman for the New York attorney general, Eric Schneiderman.

“To preserve these benefits, it’s important to ensure that the market continues to develop free from collusion and other anticompetitive practices.”

An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the investigation. The Connecticut attorney general, George Jepsen, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The American investigation follows a similar pre-emptive search by European authorities in early June, before the music service was even officially announced. The Financial Times reported that several labels and digital music companies had been contacted by the European Commission ahead of the launch.

Apple Music is a $9.99 (£6.50)-a-month streaming service that has been tipped to alter the dynamics of how consumers listen to music as the industry grapples with a decline in downloads and attempts to figure out new ways to get people to pay for songs.