Apple Music has quickly reversed its position on royalties for artists in the wake of the high-profile protest from artist Taylor Swift.
The popular singer-songwriter had taken to Tumblr on Sunday to tell her fans in a blog post that she would be withdrawing her album "1989" from the Apple Music streaming servicewhen it launches next week. When the subscription-based streaming service was announced at Apple's recent WWDC, the iPhone maker said it was offering a three-month free trial of the service for users. Swift noted that during that trial Apple would not be paying royalties on any tracks that were streamed.
"I'm not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months," Swift wrote. "I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company."
Swift said that her removal of her popular album was not about her own earnings:
"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."
While Apple was not initially making a comment, its senior VP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue later took to twitter to announce that the company was reversing its 'no pay' policy.
The Dream was right.
http://cnet.co/1MZaCpA
The popular singer-songwriter had taken to Tumblr on Sunday to tell her fans in a blog post that she would be withdrawing her album "1989" from the Apple Music streaming servicewhen it launches next week. When the subscription-based streaming service was announced at Apple's recent WWDC, the iPhone maker said it was offering a three-month free trial of the service for users. Swift noted that during that trial Apple would not be paying royalties on any tracks that were streamed.
"I'm not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months," Swift wrote. "I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company."
Swift said that her removal of her popular album was not about her own earnings:
"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."
While Apple was not initially making a comment, its senior VP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue later took to twitter to announce that the company was reversing its 'no pay' policy.
The Dream was right.
http://cnet.co/1MZaCpA
Artists need a fukking Union.
