Apple denies threatening to pull artists off iTunes for not signing up with Apple Music

"It will not be taken off," the representative told Rolling Stone, responding to questions about Anton Newcombe, the frontman of psych-rock band The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Newcombe recently made a series of Twitter posts about his negotiations with Apple, and claimed that a representative told him "we'll take your music off iTunes" if he did not put his band's material on Apple Music.

The singer's main objection to the service is its three-month free trial period. Artists and labels will not receive any royalties from the songs a person plays during a trial, making the service a controversial prospect among both artists and record labels. On Wednesday, Beggars Group issued a statement saying that it had not signed its labels to Apple Music specifically out of concern for the missing money during trials.

Some of the artists featured prominently in Apple Music advertising include FKA Twigs and Alabama Shakes, both of which are with Beggars Group labels and may not actually be available for listening when Apple Music launches on June 30. It's not clear if talks are still ongoing.