Taylor Swift Shares Behind-the-Scenes Details of Her Apple Music Letter

[MacRumors]

In an interview for the September cover story of Vanity Fair, Taylor Swift reveals her thoughts and reasoning behind the letter she wrote to Apple concerning the lack of monetary support for artists during Apple Music's three-month free trial period. The singer notes that she wrote the letter in the early morning hours after a few of her fellow artists sent pictures of their Apple Music contracts.

"I wrote the letter at around four A.M.," Swift says. "The contracts had just gone out to my friends, and one of them sent me a screenshot of one of them. I read the term 'zero percent compensation to rights holders.' Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night and I'll write a song and I can't sleep until I finish it, and it was like that with the letter."

Swift's main concern was that her letter would be taken as whining, particularly since she had addressed a similar issue regarding Spotify last year, but after running the letter past her mother, Swift decided to publish it.

Apple did indeed listen, and later the same day reversed course on its decision and announced plans to pay artists during the initial free trial of Apple Music. In the Vanity Fair interview, Swift notes Apple's near-immediate response and genuine care for her and her fellow artists, further alluding to her public break from Spotify and that company's subsequent reaction to the pulling of her music from the service.

Says Swift, "Apple treated me like I was a voice of a creative community that they actually cared about," she says. "And I found it really ironic that the multi-billion-dollar company reacted to criticism with humility, and the start-up with no cash flow reacted to criticism like a corporate machine."

Although it's hit a few bumps in the road, Apple Music has been steadily providing its early adopters with exclusive tracks, celebrity-hosted Beats 1 radio shows, and personalized music discovery since its June 30 launch. Those who signed up on day one still have just under two months left to their three-month free trial, with monthly subscriptions priced at $9.99 for individuals and $14.99 for families after the trial. The company reportedly has ten million users on the free trial so far, but it remains to be seen how many of those will convert to paying users.

Article Link: Taylor Swift Shares Behind-the-Scenes Details of Her Apple Music Letter

 

[jacobh101]

i <3 t swift

 

[Caliber26]

I wish she would reveal her retirement date. I'm so sick and tired of her and this whole Apple thing. Enough already.

 

[Jacquesvw]

.

 

[AngerDanger]

Another fun behind-the-scenes detail: due to his success in the keynote intro video, Bill Hader was originally considered to play Taylor Swift.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

It's funny seeing Steve Jobs's ability to get to the heart of the matter in Miss Swift's body.

Good for her. She gets my vote for CCSO of Apple (Chief Common Sense Officer).

 

[0098386]

i <3 t swift

I'm not a fan of her music but I like what she caused with that letter. Very good to see.

 

[SSD-GUY]

And now Apple and her have got Bad Blood.

 

[0098386]

Music snobs. Music snobs everywhere.

I wish she would reveal her retirement date. I'm so sick and tired of her and this whole Apple thing. Enough already.

It's kind of a big deal though. Before this musicians wouldn't get paid, and now they are. That's an entire industry getting paid for its hard work on a service/company that can very well afford it.

 

[yaboyac29]

now if only taylor swift wasn't such a bitch when it came to photography during her concert.

photographers have no rights.

screw this woman.

 

[nostaws]

I like her. I'm just kind of Taylor swifted out right now.
I need some space.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Still think this was a PR stunt . . . .

 

[photoj2754]

Still think this was a PR stunt . . . .

Thought it was interesting that there was no mention of her company's extremely restrictive contract for photo use by media and free lancers that was the exact opposite of her request from Apple. They hashed it out after an uproar my the media (one paper sent an artist to a concert in response). Here's a link:
http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/359433/taylor-swift-makes-concessions-on-photography-contract/

 

[Nozuka]

i guess she finally found out that anything with "apple" in the text will get her alot of attention...

 

[Tamagotchi]

If there was a down vote option on MacRumors, I would down vote this article. I'm very sick of her marketing. Still, many people here will praise her... The shepherd tending the sheep...

 

[bbeagle]

now if only taylor swift wasn't such a bitch when it came to photography during her concert.

photographers have no rights.

screw this woman.

She changed her concert photography contract. She listens.

http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/...and-changed-her-concert-photography-contract/

 

[keysofanxiety]

I'm not a fan of her music but I like what she caused with that letter. Very good to see.

Yep!

She's smooth, like ice. Cold to the touch and it isn't very nice when you left ... alone. You let them treat you badly, leaves you hanging on the phone.

 

[ghostface147]

This just makes me wonder if future artists will hold out to get a response from Apple and get their way.

 

[HurtinMinorKey]

Sure you did, Taylor. I think she means she texted her lawyer at 4am, who then wrote the letter.

 

[keysofanxiety]

If there was a down vote option on MacRumors, I would down vote this article. I'm very sick of her marketing. Still, many people here will praise her... The shepherd tending the sheep...

There's something oddly unsettling about getting lectured on cult/sheep behaviour by a user called Tamagotchi

 

[sw1tcher]

now if only taylor swift wasn't such a bitch when it came to photography during her concert.

photographers have no rights.

screw this woman.

Guess you haven't heard/read the story of how she changed her photo contract

http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/...and-changed-her-concert-photography-contract/

 

[Mr Fusion]

Kind of a pointless article, I think we already knew most of what's written here.

Not sure why Swift is so polarizing, but then again I don't follow music. Could someone explain for me?

 

[BeefCake 15]

A movie will be made on this letter... I can just picture the trailer with T.S waking up at 4am in a panic with the "You Got Mail" guy notification on her laptop.

 

[rcalderoni]

oh come on this is so staged

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Good for her. THere are many great ideas that don't get done. It reminds me of a quote by Calvin Coolidge:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.