Taylor Swift‘s open letter to Apple Music has spawned an industry-wide reaction from artists, executives, and techies who are also sharing their thoughts on the subject. Voicing their two cents, some are applauding Swift while others are drawing attention to the monetary picture at large.
In the wake of Swift’s displeasure and the consequential lash back, Apple has reversed its policy and agreed to pay royalties during their three month free trial period. More than merely impacting this decision, the letter has opened up an important dialogue that speaks for the music industry’s shift as streaming comes to the forefront.
Amid the mixed responses, Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich actually expressed positive sentiments towards Apple at an interview earlier today in Cannes, France. “I feel very safe with them,” he said of the company. As for his thoughts on the launching of Apple Music, he said, “It’s going to very exciting.”
CD Baby CEO Tracy Maddux was on Ulrich’s wavelength when Billboard spoke with him about his impression. “Overall, I think this is going to be great for music and great for artists,” he says. “In every way it looks like Apple has the superior deal on the table — not that the bar is that high. Anybody’s who’s offering a perpetual free tier will have to think if that is sustainable. How many of them are making profits? None. There’s a question about sustainability of business models. Can they improve terms when they’re not making money?”
