Friday, March 29, 2024

Taylor Swift Leverages Her Pop Power Status and Tells Apple Off In Open Letter

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Taylor Swift is getting to be a perfect person. After boycotting Spotify, she’s now doing the same to Apple Music. She won’t let her multiĀ  million selling “1989” album be streamed on Apple Music’s service. This is a BIG freaking deal. She’s taking on the biggest power in music. But she can do it. She’s getting good advice and making excellent decisions. Because– “1989” is still selling like crazy. And it’s going to win the Grammy Award next year.

Read her statement:

I write this to explain why Iā€™ll be holding back my album, 1989, from the new streaming service, Apple Music. I feel this deserves an explanation because Apple has been and will continue to be one of my best partners in selling music and creating ways for me to connect with my fans. I respect the company and the truly ingenious minds that have created a legacy based on innovation and pushing the right boundaries.

Iā€™m sure you are aware that Apple Music will be offering a free 3 month trial to anyone who signs up for the service. Iā€™m not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months. I find it to be 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 fieldā€¦but will not get paid for a quarter of a yearā€™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 realize that Apple is working towards a goal of paid streaming. I 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 periodā€¦ even if it is free for the fans trying it out.

Three months is a long time to go unpaid, and it is unfair to ask anyone to work for nothing. I say this with love, reverence, and admiration for everything else Apple has done. I hope that soon I can join them in the progression towards a streaming model that seems fair to those who create this music. I think this could be the platform that gets it right.

But I say to Apple with all due respect, itā€™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 donā€™t ask you for free iPhones. Please donā€™t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.

Taylor

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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