Apple Inc. has announced a new music-streaming service, It plans to offer potential customers a free three-month trial before they must pay for the service. It had also planned to not pay the artists it streamed royalties during the free trials, until music superstar Taylor Swift got wind of it. She said she would not allow her latest album, “1989” to be included on the service. It was not an idle threat, she had yanked her entire catalog from streaming service Spotify in a dispute over royalties. From Swift, in an open letter posted to her Tumbler page:
I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company. We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.
The Wall Street Journal, “Taylor Swift Says No to Apple Music,” 6/22/15
Today, Apple announced it was backing down, and will pay the royalties. Good for you, Taylor Swift! The Internet is a wonderful thing, but real people with real bills and overhead produce all its content, and one way or the other, they have to get paid. Obviously Swift doesn’t need the money, but she has made a consistent stand on principle, and very few celebrities do that. SLL encourages everyone to download one of her songs, or albums, and pay for it, of course.
