Apple caves after Taylor Swift threatens to pull album
Taylor Swift appears to have prompted a policy change at Apple, after threatening to withhold her album “1989” from the company’s streaming music service over royalty payments.
Swift’s issue is the three-month free trial period Apple is promoting.
“Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months,” she wrote. “I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company.”She added: “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.”
Apple responded to Swift late Sunday night in a series of tweets from Eddy Cue, a key lieutenant of CEO Tim Cook.
“#AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period,” Cue tweeted, adding that “We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple.”
Swift quickly acknowledged the change. “I am elated and relieved,” she tweeted. “Thank you for your words of support today. They listened to us.”
Swift previously removed her albums from Spotify in a dispute over compensation for streaming music. She explained her decision about Apple in a Tumblr blog post on Sunday morning, several days after her music label confirmed that “1989” wouldn’t be available on the service at launch.
The blog post, “To Apple, Love Taylor,” was immediately shared tens of thousands of times, showing the power of the artist’s megaphone and potentially creating a publicity nightmare for Apple.
Reactions to this news is mixed. Some people are praising Tay Tay for sticking up for the little artists. Others say she’s just a greedy bitch.
I think she’s right, legally and morally. Apple has to pay royalties to musicians when they play that artist’s music. The fact that Tay Tay doesn’t need the money is irrelevant. Apple can’t get out of paying royalties by giving away the music for free.
Apple’s whole purpose is to get people to sign up for their streaming music service. The cost of that service includes a calculation for recouping any losses from those three “free” months of service.
So Apple gets paid. Why shouldn’t the artists?
I suspect that Apple’s lawyers told them that if they got sued they would lose. That’s why big companies have a legal department that is supposed to review the stuff that marketing dreams up.
Taylor is terrific!!
Not a fan of taylor (sorry, myiq), but on this one, she is very right and I agree with her. Good for her. Like her logic, too: “We don’t ask you for free iPhones….”. In hindsight, Apple will be thanking her for saving them from legal woes.
I admire Taylor and she has staying power based on her class, smarts and talent. I saw on Twitter that the #BadBadFlag people want her on their side to speak out against racist flags or something since she easily brought Apple to their knees. I hope she stays as far away from politics(both sides) as possible and stick to doing what she does best….entertain and inspire.
True Dat!!!! 🙂
Not a fan of Apple, but I love Taylor. I would love Taylor to speak out against #BadBadSharpton. 😉
So Obama talks race issues with comedian Marc Maron on Marc’s WTF Podcast. WTF? The Obama Presidency is a joke, and we’re made to suffer through it.
Once again, Obama the divider, not a uniter. Who would have thought, from that famous speech he gave at the Democratic Convention about the Red States/Blue States, that he would really be so divisive.
Look at how many times Rev. Al has visited the White House. The # is probably in the 80’s now.
BTW, did anyone read or hear if the Rev. took a trip to Charleston? I see, via twitter the Rev. wannabe, DeRay McKesson was told to go away.
Some day, when I feel energetic enough, I write more about DeRay. The party has elevated him so quickly, and why is that? He was invited by the Clinton Campaign to attend her launch on Roosevelt Island.
He was awarded the Howard Zinn 2015 Freedom to Write Award, named as one of the 50 Greatest Leaders in Fortune Magazine. Can’t wait to see what else they award him with.
Agree with her.
However, it seems pretty common for a billion dollar company to try and increase their profits off the backs of others for free. Apple tried and lost. You can bet it won’t be the last time they attempt a something-for-nothing.
BRAD IS A DEMOCRAT PARTY HACK:
I caught their recent posts column and noticed they’ve filed complaints against every GOPper. Good little DNC lobbyists :pattingheads:
Pat em a little harder!! 😀
Women and minorities in the GOP are the biggest threat to the left. It can potentially destroy their propaganda narrative. Expect all sorts of nit picking, outlandish claims, and just a stream of pure hate. Even when in this case Ben and Carla are not, and probably won’t be, top tier candidates. Even their presence can not be tolerated. Because #caring.
A government supported non-profit hate group ? Do they have a flag? So if one of these ladies turns up dead, what then ? Where is the feminist outrage? LGBT outrage? They do understand Sharia Law don’t they? Happy F**king Monday 😛
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2015/06/splc-issues-hit-list-of-u-s-women-against-sharia-law/
I agree with Tay and Apple should pay, and I’m glad they changed. Actually surprised and amazed. The other music streaming services did free periods and didn’t pay. Also Apple negotiated new contracts with indies and labels to start their new streaming service already paying everyone a bigger cut than the competitors, ostensibly a higher rate to help cover costs of the free period. But it was still not cool just the same. So happy Apple did the right thing. Good on them.
The music industry exploits young talent who are broke and looking for their first big break. Debut albums that do really well typically underpay the artist. Even worse, the artists get signed to multi-album deals.
That is why sophomore albums usually suck. The artists are just fulfilling their contracts so they can sign new deals.
Yep. That industry totally sucks for new artists. I’m still hoping the ability for indies to stay independent of big labels is a positive thing. I think it has been. But it’s still a tough business. Then again, doing anything artistic tends to not be a big money path.
In every kind of art a few artists make big bucks, a larger group struggles to survive and for the rest it’s a hopeless dream/hobby.
Twas ever thus.
I’m a fan of celebrity memoirs and just finished Candice Bergen’s “A Fine Romance”. Her chapters on “Murphy Brown” were eye opening about the underbelly of tv land. The show almost didn’t get greenlit because the producers and network demanded (hotter and younger) Heather Locklear play Murphy. Candice was saved by the head writer who wrote the script with her in mind, fought hard and won.
Can you imagine a hottie like Bergen not being “hot” enough ? Great summer read, she wrote it for her daughter.
Now let’s see if Tay returns the favor by letting them add her latest album to their stream.
#TrueStory
The Obama duo is desperately trying to be relevant and with each passing day, their grasp of power is loosened. They did nothing of positive substance — just a lot of empty rhetoric.
Taylor is right–good for her!
He should try it.
Why is AP inciting violence against a Hispanic presidential candidate?
When I first started reading conservative blogs and websites I always found it odd that some of them banned AP links on their sites.
The lunatics and juveniles are in charge at the AP.
Here’s the unedited photo, that AP photog did some fancy work there……
Remember when the press kept taking pictures of Obama with a halo around his head?
FUCKING HYPOCRITES…. for people who supposedly want gun control and repudiate violence, and in the wake of the shooting in Charleston, they really demonstrate they have no souls. Low life scumbags.
Yes, lol, I also remember the “horns” they gave the Clintons (Time covers after they were taken over by the looney left).
They had 5 photos to choose from. The juveniles picked their favorite and cropped it. They got a lot of flack for it on social media. If Cruz had been black, would they have done this?
Yes, you’re right mc, but it shows you how far away he was from that poster in real life.
I know, and my lib lefty paper will use the cropped bs photo. No one here in far lefty land will think twice about the pic.
Our Lady of Chappaqua. Now, that’s funny. 🙂
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Hillary Jumps on Pope’s Climate Bandwagon
There’s no stopping Hillary Clinton when it comes to either outright lies or distortions of truth. At 2PM on June 19, Our Lady of Chappaqua jumped on Pope Francis’ climate bandwagon with the following tweet…
http://pjmedia.com/diaryofamadvoter/2015/06/19/hillary-jumps-on-popes-climate-bandwagon/
Obama’s America
What should we do with stupid ex-pat Brits that the Brits won’t take back?
Back in the day, they would have gotten him drunk as a skunk and stuck him on a ship bound for anywhere else. The good ole days. LOL
Governor Hogan (Maryland – R) just announced he has lymphoma. Thoughts and prayers to he and his family.
Doesn’t sound good…aggressive and advanced stage 3 or 4
The survival rate is relatively high, 70% !! I hope he does well, and evidently he can continue working !! I would hate for Marylanders to lose him just when he getting started !
I caught part of that, says he’s going to stay on the job! Sending warm, healing thoughts his way.
Oh dear God, the news is chopping up Nikki Haley’s speech to bits in that Tear Down That Flag sort of way. I watched her whole speech *Live* and it was awesome. That’s not all she said, it was much deeper. OMG, Haley2016. In her second term, battle tested and has lady parts!!!!!!!!! I’m smitten 😉
THIRD DEMOCRAT Calls for Pelosi to Step Down – She’s Too Old
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/06/third-democrat-calls-for-pelosi-to-step-down-shes-too-old/
New thread up!