IF YOU wanted any more proof that Taylor Swift is the most influential woman in the world, then here you go. She just made the most powerful, valuable company on the planet back down from their plans and bow down to her demands.
Earlier this morning, Swift penned a post on Tumblr titled To Apple, Love Taylor. In that, she criticised the company for not paying artists for three months while Apple’s free trial of Apple Music was “shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company”.
“This is not about me. Thankfully I am on my fifth album and can support myself, my band, crew, and entire management team by playing live shows.
“This is about the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success. This is about the young songwriter who just got his or her first cut and thought that the royalties from that would get them out of debt.
“This is about the producer who works tirelessly to innovate and create, just like the innovators and creators at Apple are pioneering in their field … but will not get paid for a quarter of a year’s worth of plays on his or her songs.
“These are not the complaints of a spoiled, petulant child. These 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.
“I say to Apple with all due respect, it’s not too late to change this policy and change the minds of those in the music industry who will be deeply and gravely affected by this. We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.”
Mere hours after Swift’s open letter, the power of social media and Swift’s brand forced Apple to go back on its no payment policy and will be paying artists.
Apple’s corporate vice president Eddie Cue tweeted the change this afternoon.
Apple will always make sure that artist are paid #iTunes #AppleMusic
— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015#AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period
— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple
— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015Just chatted with @cue about Apple Music. He said "@taylorswift13 ’s tweet today solidified the issue for us, we decided to make a change."
— John Paczkowski (@JohnPaczkowski) June 22, 2015I am elated and relieved. Thank you for your words of support today. They listened to us.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 22, 2015
This comes just a week after Re/Code confirmed: “Apple won’t pay music owners anything for the songs that are streamed during Apple Music’s three-month trial period, a bone of contention with music labels during negotiations for the new service.”
If artists didn’t agree with that, they wouldn’t be allowed on the service at all.
Swift has previously spoken out against Spotify and the rates it pays artists, pulling her entire collection of the service last November, and choosing not to release her latest album 1989 on there at all.
While it’s believed that the growth of Spotify since Swift’s removal hasn’t slowed, streaming service’s biggest demographics are the same as hers. Spotify confirmed to news.com.au that the under 18-24 age bracket of subscribers make up 52 per cent of the service’s total subscriber base. This could be why Apple has taken Swift’s words so seriously and backed down, but either way, it shows that the streaming services and artists need to find a pricing model that works for everyone if they want to combat piracy.
Even though Apple has now backed down to Swift’s letter, there is still no word as to whether her latest album 1989 will feature on Apple Music when it launches on June 30.
Though Apple IS talking to @taylorswift13, she has NOT yet agreed to be part of Apple Music, said @cue.
— John Paczkowski (@JohnPaczkowski) June 22, 2015
