Taylor swift has been surprising her fans a lot in recent months: single releases, album teasers and now shortly after her ‘1989’ launch she has given everyone a bit of a shock: she’s removed the entire catalogue of her music from Spotify.
The music industry is taking one step forward and Taylor is taking two steps back, but is that such a bad thing?
Taylor has stated that “Music is changing so quickly, and the landscape of the music industry itself is changing so quickly, that everything new, like Spotify, all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment.” Quite rightly Taylor says: “I’m not willing to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that I don’t feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists, and creators of this music…” Fair enough, right?
Swift’s latest album celebrates the past, specifically the late eighties, and it’s not just her music that’s reminiscent of a later era. Her entire album is a nod to the past and her latest move sees her take one great leap in the direction of the time that has inspired her two-year project.
This move has gained a lot of attention, with a mix of speculation and criticism. Taylor just doesn’t agree “with perpetuating the perception that music has no value and should be free.” Just because the industry is moving in a certain direction, doesn’t necessarily mean artists should follow the tide.
Individuality coincides with creativity and what sort of music would we have if all artists followed the trends, instead of setting them? Maybe Taylor will stand alone in her plight against the low fees artists receive from streaming platforms, such as Spotify, but just maybe others will be inspired and join her.
Scott Borchetta, President of Taylor’s label Big Machine Records, has commented on the decision: “If this fan went and purchased the record, CD, iTunes, wherever, and then their friends go, ‘why did you pay for it? It’s free on Spotify,’ we’re being completely disrespectful to that superfan.” The fact is, if you enjoy an artist’s music and want to hear more you should fund them by paying for the material you are listening to.
We can’t tell you where the music industry is heading next, but we’re definitely excited and intrigued. From Swift’s break-up with Spotify, to Sia Furler’s facelessness in a bid to avoid a state of celebrity, the future of music is here.
What do you think of Swift’s decision? Let us know is the comments! Visit us on Facebook to keep up to date on our latest releases (we’re not quite so secretive).