Apple Music's Jimmy Iovine apologises after saying women need help finding music for when they're 'talking about boys'

Iovine said he 'could have chosen his words better'

Iovine said girls need music for when they're 'sitting around talking about boys' (Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

Jimmy Iovine, the man behind Apple music, has apologised after saying women “find it very difficult” to find music.

Iovine was speaking on CBS alongside the singer, Mary J. Blige to promote their new collaborative advertisement for the streaming service.

The advert features Blige and the actresses Kerry Washington and Taraji P. Henson and targets a female demographic.

Explaining the premise behind the video, Iovine said: “Women find it very difficult at times, some women, to find music and this helps make it easier with playlists curated by real people, not just algorithms.”

Blige added that the service for women is important as she believes when women get together they listen to music and talk.

Iovine continued: “Girls are sitting around talking about boys, or complaining about boys when they have their heart broken or whatever, and you need music for that right?”

The 62-year-old was immediately criticised on social media following the comments.

He has since apologised for his “poor choice of words” after the backlash grew overnight.

“We created Apple Music to make finding the right music easier for everyone — men and women, young and old,” he said in a statement.

“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 apologise.”

The host of the talk show, Gayle King also defended Iovine, writing on Twitter that his quotes had been taken out of context.

Iovine co-founded Interscope records in 1989, the label which went on to sign acts including Dr Dre, Eminem and Madonna. He later co-founded the Beats by Dre electronic speaker range with the rapper, which was bought by Apple in 2014 for a record $3billion.