14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier this week, Taylor Swift showed her true “star power” when she took to her Tumblr to throw Apple and his new streaming service Apple Music under the bus for allegedly not wanting to pay labels a dime during their first, 3-month trial period.
The open letter went viral, and within hours, Apple had already changed its policy and announced that, because Taylor had pointed it out to them that their initial plan sucked, they would be paying labels and artists even during those 3 months they won’t be charging customers.
Today, Taylor has announced that she will have her latest album, the chart-topping “1989” album, up for streaming on Apple Music, making sure to stress that this wasn’t some kind of “exclusive deal” she signed with the company but rather a gut feeling that she was doing the right thing.
She also said that it was Apple’s swift change of policy (and thus willingness to be more attentive towards the talent whose music they distribute) of last week that convinced her that this was the right thing to do.
To conspiracy theorists online, the announcement that “1989” would stream on Apple Music was confirmation that her “open letter” was just a PR stunt meant to draw attention to the music service.
Rumor has it that it was Apple who convinced Taylor to pull her entire catalog from Spotify last year, luring her over with a better deal that would ensure Apple Music would demolish competition.
This little online “spat” between the two was just a stunt meant to draw more attention to the service and make both parties into real-life “heroes” for doing what’s right, apparently.
After the events of this week, I've decided to put 1989 on Apple Music...and happily so.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 25, 2015
In case you're wondering if this is some exclusive deal like you've seen Apple do with other artists, it's not.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 25, 2015
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.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 25, 2015
We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple
— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015
#AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period
— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015
Apple will always make sure that artist are paid #iTunes #AppleMusic
— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015
I am elated and relieved. Thank you for your words of support today. They listened to us.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 22, 2015