Taylor Swift has 'Bad Blood' with Apple Music
Taylor Swift recently became the most prominent artist to denounce Apple Music鈥檚 free three-month trial.
She announced via on her Tumblr page that her album 1989 would not be available for streaming, in protest of Apple鈥檚 鈥渟hocking鈥� and 鈥渄isappointing鈥� decision not to pay artists or producers for song plays during the trial period.
鈥淚 realize that Apple is working towards a goal of paid streaming,鈥� Ms. Swift said. 鈥淚 think that is beautiful progress. We know how astronomically successful Apple has been and we know that this incredible company has the money to pay artists, writers and producers for the 3 month trial period 鈥� even if it is free for the fans trying it out.鈥�
Though she declared that 鈥渢hree months is a long time to go unpaid, and it is unfair to ask anyone to work for free,鈥� the seven-time Grammy-winning hit writer acknowledged that, personally, she could absorb the loss in revenues 鈥� rather, she was speaking on behalf of the new and lesser-known artists and producers that would not be able to afford the loss.
鈥淭hese are not the complaints of a spoiled, petulant child,鈥� Swift said. 鈥淭hese are the echoed sentiments of every artist, writer and producer in my social circles who are afraid to speak up publicly because we admire and respect Apple so much. We simply do not respect this particular call.鈥�
Anton Newcombe, frontman of the band Brian Jonestown Massacre, expressed similar outrage in a . He claimed he had been given the option either to let Apple Music stream his songs for free during the trial period, or to have his music removed from iTunes completely.
An Apple spokesperson this was untrue: 鈥淸Their music] will not be taken off."
Andy Heath, chairman of a British music industry lobby group, that he did not know of any independent labels that had agreed to Apple鈥檚 terms, saying they would 鈥渓iterally put people out of business.鈥�
鈥淎pple is sitting there with this massive pile of cash and saying to us, 鈥榊ou help us start a new business.鈥� Well I just don鈥檛 think it is going to happen on these terms,鈥� Mr. Heath said.
Apple Music is set to launch June 30. Once a user鈥檚 free trial period expires, the service will cost $9.99 a month. After the free window closes, Apple will start paying labels per song play, the way other streaming services like Spotify do.
Swift, who also famously pulled her music from Spotify last year out of similar concern for low royalty payments, says she will reverse her decision if Apple changes its policy and recognizes the value of the music they are streaming.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 ask you for free iPhones," she . "Please don鈥檛 ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.鈥�
