Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of a story that appeared in November.
Story highlights
Swift took Apple to task for not paying artists
An Apple executive tweeted what appears to be a reversal
The singer is known for being a savvy businesswoman
What hope is there for the rest of us when Taylor Swift can make a giant like Apple bend to her will?
That’s what the superstar singer apparently did when she complained about the tech company not paying artists during the three-month free trial period of Apple Music.
“Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months,” Swift wrote in an open letter. “I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company.”
Quicker than you could say “1989” (the title of her album she threatened to withhold from the company), an Apple executive was tweeting what appeared to be a reversal of that policy.
Apple caves after Taylor Swift threatens to pull album
“#AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period,” tweeted Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple.”
Swift tweeted her joy, and even her boyfriend, superproducer Calvin Harris, acknowledged her power, tweeting, “I just played a gig inside a giant owl and my girl just changed the entire music industry what a day.”
Of course the Internet had suggestions for other tasks Swift should seek to accomplish, everything from eradicating police brutality to getting free Wi-Fi in airports.
Sharp businesswoman
Swift is known for being outspoken and business-savvy.
She recently shamed OK magazine for what she said was a misleading headline, and let’s not forget how she hopped on grabbing the domain taylorswift.porn to protect her wholesome image.
Brands swoop in to buy .porn and .sucks before the trolls do
Singer and activist Billy Bragg praised Swift on Facebook.
“I have to take my hat off to her now that she has defeated Apple Music’s attempt to give our music away for free on their new streaming service,” Bragg wrote. “Taylor can do this because she exercises control over her own work, rather than following the standard practice of signing all rights over to her record company. We need to see more of this in the industry if artists hope ensure that the rights of creators can trump the might of corporations.”
Taylor Swift agrees to stream ’1989’ on Apple Music
There was a time when it didn’t seem like Swift could get any bigger.
She’s got massive success in the music industry, millions of devoted fans and a permanent place in pop culture history, the latter thanks to an incident that the world will never, ever allow Kanye West to forget.
But clearly, that wasn’t enough for the (literally) towering singer.