Photo Courtesy: GabboT
By Faye Darku
Taylor Swift has won many awards after writing songs about her exes and heartbreak, but her recent letter to Apple Music shows just how powerful the 25-year-old singer is. On Sunday, Swift posted an open letter to Apple Music on Tumblr, criticizing the new music streaming app service which opened worldwide on Tuesday, June 23.
In the letter Swift expresses disapproval for the streaming services plan not to pay royalties to artists during a three-month trial period of the music app.
In her letter Ms. Swift calls the decision “shocking, disappointing and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company,” and when Taylor Swift talks or in this case writes a letter, you listen and that is exactly what Apple did.
The next day she emerged victorious when Apple Music announced it will now pay artists during the 90-day free trial period and this week revised licensing contracts that would allow independent labels and artist to join the service.
With this change Taylor Swift decided to stream her top-selling album 1989 on the music app of course with Apple paying her royalties. She took to Twitter to announce to her fans that she will be releasing her album on the music app. “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.”
Although the open letter has brought attention to Swift and her influence in the music industry it’s not been all positive. Leave it to where else Twitter to start the conspiracy theories on whether Swift letter was a public relations strategy for her music and the new app.
There have been many conversations in the Twittersphere about whether her letter was truly for the up and coming artist to get paid.
A well-timed and well-planned publicity stunt one could say. People on Twitter have pointed out that not only is the timing suspicious but also the fact that Swift’s album will stream on Apple Music and not Spotify. Considering they are basically very similar in style as well as how much they compensate artist to stream their music. People are also pointing out how easily Apple gave in and did not counter Swift on her letter. The beef was resolved a little too perfectly it seems.
Either way the winner out of this situation is Taylor Swift as always. Again she manages to stay relevant without being over dramatic like Miley Cyrus and whether you believe this letter to be a stunt of not Swifties are happy to get her music and Taylor is happy to get her money.
