Taylor Swift: ‘I’ve decided to put 1989 on Apple Music ... and happily so’
Taylor Swift performs at Manchester Arena on June 24, 2015 in Manchester, England.
It’s official. Taylor Swift’s album “1989†will be available on Apple’s new music service, following the company’s reversal of a controversial policy on royalties.
“After the events of this week, I’ve decided to put 1989 on Apple Music ... and happily so,†Swift said on Twitter.
The superstar threatened Sunday to withhold the bestseller from Apple Music because of its now-aborted plans to not pay royalties during consumers’ free, three-month trial.
The Cupertino tech giant changed its mind 17 hours after Swift made a plea through an open letter criticizing the service.
Swift’s blessing marks a contrast with her feud with Swedish streaming service Spotify. Swift pulled her songs from Spotify in November in protest of its free, ad-supported tier.
Apple Music charges $9.99 a month for its Spotify-like service, which launches Tuesday. Spotify has a $9.99-a-month version, plus a free option for people willing to tolerate commercial interruptions. Apple Music doesn’t offer a free tier.
Swift sought to assure fans that her decision to put “1989†on Apple Music is not part of an exclusive deal. Apple has been looking to land exclusives with artists such as Pharrell Williams, who will debut a new song through the service.
“In case you’re wondering if this is some exclusive deal like you’ve seen Apple do with other artists, it’s not,†Swift tweeted. “This is simply the first time it’s felt right in my gut to stream my album. Thank you, Apple, for your change of heart.â€
Swift wasn’t the only artist to take on Apple. Independent labels and music industry trade groups had previously spoken out against the service.
On Wednesday, thousands of labels decided to sign on. Beggars Group and Merlin Network, which represents 20,000 labels, have now endorsed the service.
Apple has promised to pay rights holders at least 71.5% of its streaming revenue when customers pay the $9.99 a month subscription. During the free trial, Apple will pay a rate of 0.2 cents a stream, not as a percentage of revenue.
Follow Ryan Faughnder on Twitter for more entertainment business coverage: @rfaughnder
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