In the age of lightning-quick streaming music services, what were once epic artist standoffs are now instant affairs, apparently.
On Sunday morning, Taylor Swift took to Tumblr to announce that she would be withholding her latest album, the platinum-selling "1989," from Apple's soon-to-launch subscription music service.
"I'm sure you are aware that Apple Music will be offering a free 3 month trial to anyone who signs up for the service," the pop star wrote on her personal page. "I'm not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months. I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company."
READ: Taylor Swift boycotts Apple streaming over payments
"These are not the complaints of a spoiled, petulant child," she added. "These are the echoed sentiments of every artist, writer and producer in my social circles who are afraid to speak up publicly because we admire and respect Apple so much. We simply do not respect this particular call."
In her Tumblr post, titled "To Apple, Love Taylor," Swift added that the "astronomically successful Apple" has more than enough money to pay artists less fortunate than her. The company is currently worth $742 billion, according to Forbes.
"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," Swift concluded. "We don't ask you for free iPhones. Please don't ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation."
It didn't take long for Apple to respond.
In a series of tweets late Sunday night, Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet software and services, apologized for the flap and promised to reverse his company's policy.
"Apple will always make sure that artist are paid," Cue tweeted, before clarifying that "AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer's free trial period."
He then wrote: "We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple."
It seems as if Swift has already moved on.
She posted her own cheery message on Twitter early Monday morning, shortly after playing a show in Amsterdam: "I am elated and relieved. Thank you for your words of support today. They listened to us."
This isn't the first time that Swift has taken on the streaming music industry. In November, she pulled "1989" and the rest of her songs off of another streaming music service, Spotify. (Launched in the United States in 2011, Spotify offers free music streaming with advertisements and charges $10 a month for ad-free listening). In an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, Swift suggested musicians deserved to earn more for allowing their songs to be streamed.
"Valuable things should be paid for," she wrote in the July 2014 opinion piece. "It's my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album's price point is."
In her Sunday Tumblr post, Swift reiterated that her stance was about more than her own career, which is soaring.
"This is not about me," she wrote. "Thankfully I am on my fifth album and can support myself, my band, crew, and entire management team by playing live shows. This is about the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success. This is about the young songwriter who just got his or her first cut and thought that the royalties from that would get them out of debt. This is about the producer who works tirelessly to innovate and create, just like the innovators and creators at Apple are pioneering in their field . . . but will not get paid for a quarter of a year's worth of plays on his or her songs."
Apple's U-turn avoids a testy public battle with an influential recording artist. Swift has nearly 60 million Twitter followers, and "1989" sold nearly 1.3 million copies — in its first week. That was the most of any album since 2002.
Apple Music, meanwhile, will launch June 30. After the initial three-month free trial period, the streaming music subscription will cost $10 per month, or $14.99 per month for a family plan of up to six people.
The Washington Post
Tue Jun 23 2015

Apple responded swiftly to Taylor Swift's statement on Tumblr on the company's policy which she said was unfair to artists.

Lebanese search for dead in devastated villages as Israel withdraws
Hezbollah says Israel was still occupying Lebanese territory and put the onus on the Lebanese state to get Israeli forces out.

China promises Latin America 'trustworthy' ties as Trump lays out demands
Beijing looks to improve its foothold in a region historically under the US sphere of influence.

Major risks loom as Trump upends US Russia policy
Washington's approach changes dramatically with the initial meeting between US and Russian negotiators.

Pope Francis has double pneumonia, complicating his treatment, Vatican says
Doctors say a polymicrobial infection occurs when two or more micro-organisms are involved and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

Philippines' VP Duterte challenges impeachment before Supreme Court
Sara Duterte makes her first legal move to fight the case that could lead to her removal and lead to a lifetime ban from public office.

Motor racing - Hamilton steps out in red at unprecedented 10 team F1 launch
I feel so full of life, so much energy, because everything's new and I'm just focused on what is up ahead, Hamilton says.

UAE tells US' Rubio it rejects displacement of Palestinians
The UAE's stance matters as its one of four Arab nations that normalised ties with Israel during Trumps first term.

Taylor Swift wins recording artist of the year crown for fifth time
The megastar's "The Tortured Poets Department" record also topped four IFPI charts, the IFPI says.

More than $50 billion needed to rebuild Gaza, World Bank joint assessment says
Years of rebuilding work, including clearing unexploded ordinance and millions of tonnes of rubble lie ahead.

Malaysia’s AI data centre development to be impacted by recent US restrictions - Liew
Liew Chin Tong says the restrictions would not affect the development of the domestic data centre ecosystem as a whole.

Sweden's top court rejects Greta Thunberg lawsuit on climate action
A court cannot decide that the parliament or the government must take any specific action, the Supreme Court says.
![[COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream [COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-10/51728873693_EMIR.jpg)
[COLUMNIST] Trump’s Gaza (pipe) dream
The Gaza plan is dangerous and counter-productive as it's merely another recipe for regional instability.

Sivasangari eyes new career-high in world rankings
After climbing to a career-best world number seven, national women's squash ace S. Sivasangari is determined to keep rising.

Outburst against Steven Sim: DAP will probe if there's a complaint - Loke
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke says the disciplinary committee has not received any reports related to the incident so far.

US judge will not block Elon Musk from firing federal workers, accessing data
The case raises questions about Musk's apparent unchecked authority as a top deputy to President Donald Trump.

Dozens of false killer whales stranded on remote Australian beach
Rescue crews trying to save the majority of the large dolphins that survived the ordeal, according to authorities.

Trump restricts AP access over Gulf of Mexico issue
The AP, citing editorial standards, says it would continue to use the gulf's established name.

China to fly back 200 nationals rescued from Myanmar scam centres, Thai official says
This is part of a multinational effort to crack down on illegal online operations run from the region.

Somber Tiger Woods back in action in TGL loss to New York GC
Tiger Woods makes his first start since the death of his mother when he competed in a TGL match at Palm Beach Gardens.

Brazil's ex-President Bolsonaro charged in alleged coup plot
A total of 34 people were charged, including several military officials.