Apple and Taylor Swift: A Decade of Change in the Music Industry
Today, both Apple and Taylor Swift have achieved greater success than ever. Yet, a decade ago, they found themselves at odds over a significant issue that threatened to derail the launch of Apple Music. Here’s a recap of the events.
Apple’s Shift to Streaming Music Encountered an Urgent Challenge
In 2015, Apple was preparing for the eagerly awaited debut of Apple Music. The company invested $3 billion to acquire Beats, primarily motivated by the popular Beats Music streaming service. At that point, Apple had a long-standing reputation for innovation in music, as demonstrated by the success of the iPod and iTunes, both critical during the industry’s move to digital. However, Beats Music and especially Spotify were leading the charge in a significant shift: the transition to streaming.
While Apple generally prefers to create its own solutions instead of acquiring them, the costly and high-profile acquisition of Beats was an exception. Apple Music was developed on the groundwork of Beats Music and aimed to elevate Apple’s standing in the streaming world. Yet, just before its launch, Apple found itself facing a dilemma: Taylor Swift was displeased.
Apple and Taylor Swift Disagreed and Reconciled a Decade Ago
Around a week before the June 30 launch of Apple Music, Swift issued a very public criticism of Apple. She declared her intention to withhold her latest album, 1989, from the service. The reason? Apple’s choice not to compensate artists for streams during the initial three-month free trial of Apple Music. Swift clearly articulated her stance, saying, “We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.” This critique ignited significant controversy in the lead-up to Apple Music’s introduction.
The situation was tense, as Apple aimed to establish itself as a more “artist-friendly” streaming platform compared to Spotify. Ultimately, it didn’t take long for Apple to relent. In several tweets, services chief Eddy Cue announced that Apple Music would revise its payment policy. He stated, “Apple will always ensure that artists are compensated. #AppleMusic will pay artists for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period. We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple.” This decision was welcomed by many in the artist community and prevented what could have been a major setback for Apple Music’s launch.
Following these developments, Taylor Swift revealed that 1989 would indeed be available on Apple Music while still remaining off Spotify.
A decade later, both Swift and Apple have experienced tremendous growth. Apple Music, despite lagging behind Spotify in subscriber numbers, has successfully sidestepped any significant artist controversies since that crucial moment.
