Taylor Swift Criticizes Apple Music's Free Trial in Open Letter

[gijoeinla]

We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.

Really? She's full of it. Actors, Music Artists, Sports stars etc are the FIRST to seek free stuff and there is not a company on earth that doesn't give it to them FREE. In fact she's being so hypocritical in that sense that no one receives more COMP'd things in life than these people - no one. While she says "no one asks" she should only speak for herself.

On one hand tho she might be right. These "artists" have their assistants and minions call to get the ""hook ups".

C'mon.

 

[Technarchy]

If she has creative control and takes an issue, it's her right to remove her content.

However the industry and Apple will continue on without her.

Not that big of a deal really. Hell Def Leppard completely rerecorded some of their songs because they wanted to spite their label and have complete control over their work.

 

[lolkthxbai]

While I do understand her point, her comparison between the cost of iPhones and her music are way off. Maybe if she would have said free Apple Watch Editions...

 

[notrack]

Before Apple Music existed artists were not payed from Apple Music. After three months of free Apple music they will start to be payed from Apple Music too. Meanwhile they will have a lot of publicity.
Where is the point?

Afaik artists are paid on how often their songs are played. So if people listen via Apple instaed of others, the artist's earnings will go down. Essentially they will have less earnings for three months.
After that, I doubt that they will earn significantly more unless Apple will be able to generate a lot of additional listeners that haven't been listening to music before. I don't believe that this will be the case either.

 

[majkom]

Just briefly, yes apple is in position to force artists to pay for the trial period and yes, apple has right to care only about revenues.. But please apple execs, if you really care only about profit, stop ********ting about "how you love music" and "how you want to make world better"... Old apple's mojo is gone...

 

[aleksoctop]

The richest company in the world wants to distribute your stuff for free to promote their product and get even richer.
How could anyone be mad about that? -_-

 

[p774]

You are assuming that every time someone listens to a song the artist has to purchase raw ingredients to remake the song from scratch at their own cost. This is a crappy deal for the person baking cupcakes, but an excellent and free marketing deal for someone providing digital content.

That's why I clearly stated "First off, I know baking cupcakes is a bit different than making music, but bear with me."

The thing is: people need money to cover their costs of living the same way as people who bake cupcakes need to buy ingredients.

 

[HenryDJP]

Does the three month trial start when the service goes live or when the user signs up? If someone doesn't sign up for the first three months of the service being available, will they not get the three months of free service after those three months are up?

It's 3 months free from when the user signs up. Doesn't matter when they sign up.

 

[firewood]

Rats. And I thought that searching on #swift and #apple would bring up mostly comments on LLVM and the new programming language constructs.

 

[Dmunjal]

No but you do get it free for 14 days. You can use it, talk on it, play on it, download apps and show it off. Then simply return it for a full refund. Did you forget about that?

Do the Apple employees not get paid if you return the phone? Apple takes the loss.

 

[gijoeinla]

Apple said CD and DVD would be a thing of the past. However Japan uses CD and DVD, and now, BD, a lot to deliver their media. Despite it, I can still see CD or DVD shops around Sydney CBD.

Come to Los Angeles. DVD's, CD's, and even Blu Rays are a thing of the past. DVD stores have nearly all closed. Streaming services like Netflix killed the rental market and people -- just like music -- don't really want to own movies anymore and let's face it the film studios don't want you to either. Trust me the labels (music) feel the same way.

Think of it this way. Downloads are to them extremely profitable in that there's zero production and distribution costs and every download gets remonetized via thin air. In fact they (labels) don't even "pay" a cent to get the download into our hands. Those costs are handled by everybody BUT them.

 

[Ironduke]

Get em Swifty Get Em!

 

[darkknight14]

Give me a break. iTunes pays out 70% for all content. I'm so ****ing **********ing shitsucking tired of people saying they stole my ****ing movie that I poured my ****ING blood into because that money "just supports corporations".

I worked three years on something. I paid for education. I went into debt beyond belief due to the time off my horrible soul sucking normal job to get my film finished. And I'm broke. But hey, 500,000 people stole my movie by my last estimate. Half a million ****ing people.

You'd think it would feel cool to know you have that audience, but no, it is legitimately sad. You feel helpless. Movies can't tour to make their money... They can't sell t-shirts. The movie is the only product I have.

But my new fans will buy my next film! That I can't get financed because investors require proof of SALES. Real sales, not magical unicorn wishes and a promise to support my future work. There IS NO future work you *******. You are making sure of that.

What point are you trying to make?

 

[6836838]

Her album also isn't available on Spotify!

 

[Sheza]

Absolutely ridiculous. Because they can easily afford it huh? Well why don't you pay the subscription model upfront and that will fix the issue? Surely you can afford that.

Sorry, what?

 

[aaronvan]

I breathlessly await Iggy Azelea's pronouncements on Apple.

 

[McCool71]

she needs to back off the streaming industry...NOW

At least she has a coherent and principled approach, one has to applaud that.

It would be very odd if she held back her album from Spotify (like she does now - primarily because of their ad-supported tier that pays a lot less than the subscription service) and just let Apple go ahead with 3 months free with no compensation.

I think it is good that artists take a clear stand. That being said, any (especially new) artist that are not willing to be a part of streaming services in the very near future (1-2 years tops) will probably never be able to break through and 'make it'. Like it or not, streaming is an extremely convenient way of discovering both new and old artists.

 

[webpoet73]

Not all artists are as well off as Taylor or Garth or Brittney. Can't exactly draw parallels between these mega-artists to a bands like Opeth or Katatonia. They do make enough to make a living, but believe me, they are not living in mansions.

Most of the bands I listen to have to tour constantly just to be able to continue to make new music. With a few exceptions like Metallica, none of the bands/artists I listen to are household names and need every dollar they can get from new music sales. Some of them, I discovered recently on Amazon Prime Music, which is just a bonus to my Prime account (as far as I know, artists do get paid by Amazon).

So, to say the trial period won't hurts artists, maybe it won't hurt the mega-artists, but the bands I listen to, it just might. Pay the royalties.

 

[Peace]

On the contrary, the free trial period is a selling point for Apple devices. And if Apple or anyone else really believed that Apple Music is guaranteed to be a boon for everyone involved, why not pay the royalties? The fact that they're not paying is a bit of a give away that Apple itself isn't really convinced they've got it right.

The free trial period is also a selling point for the artist. People might listen to some artist they have never heard of. And that is called free promotion .

 

[Nuvi]

Taylor Swift complaining about Apple Music... Exactly the same person was complaining about Spotify's advertising supported service and how it was unfair. Maybe she should stick with selling CD's.

 

[nStyle]

"But I say to Apple with all due respect, 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"

And yet, ironically, she isn't affected at all by this and she still chooses to withdraw her work from any streaming service.

In some ways, though, I agree with her. Streaming is killing profitability for artists that deserve it.

It is what it is though. One little girl who made it big and has a big voice still isn't going to change the behemoth streaming industry. It's akin to REI trying to take down Walmart. Cute and all, but not going to happen.

 

[ftaok]

Apple has to tread lightly here. If they cover the cost of the 3 month trial by paying the labels and artists, they open themselves up to a U.S. DOJ investigation.

I believe that Spotify also does not pay the artists/labels during their free trial period. If Apple were to pay and gain access to Taylor Swift and other holdouts, they would be accused of anti-competitive behavior.

Think about it. If Apple and Spotify offer similar services, but Apple had access to more exclusive content, Spotify stands to lose many subscribers.

Thoughts?

Edit - I was informed that Spotify does , in fact, pay royalties during their free trial.

 

[Christian 5G]

I don't know if she is referring to her or everyone else?

If her then wow with her net worth of 300mil$ (one of the highest net worth artists) she is complaining of not making any money?

If other's then that's nice of her.

 

[RobQuads]

I don't get the problem myself

Company A has come up with a new system and has asked company B if they want to join in. There is a free trial where NEITHER make money but the framework is good so it's worth Company b doing the partnership

As for Taylor Swify. This is th girl that said she did not agree with it an leaft spotty only to sign up with another provider. So much for streaming killing the industry!

 

[LucasEVille]

I wouldn't stream her music if she paid me. Talentless moron.

What is it about all these egotistical "artists" jumping on the hate Apple Music bandwaggon, lets hear them complain when the royalties kick in and Spotify has to remove their freeloaders tier to stay afloat. Oh wait, they won't. They'll be happy to take our money then.