Mikey Campbell
A report late Tuesday claims Apple has inked last-minute streaming deals with independent record labels under the umbrellas of Merlin and Beggars Group, suggesting tracks from the likes of FKA Twigs, Radiohead, M.I.A. and more will be part of Apple Music's debut lineup.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Billboard reports both Merlin and Martin Mills' Beggars Group — and the labels, distributors and artists they represent — have signed off on Apple Music terms just days before the service is set to launch.
Merlin CEO Charles Caldas seemed amenable to Apple's terms in a memo to group members, saying, "I am pleased to say that Apple has made a decision to pay for all usage of Apple Music under the free trials on a per-play basis, as well as to modify a number of other terms that members had been communicating directly with Apple about. With these changes, we are happy to support the deal."
The development comes a week after Beggars Group issued a press release bemoaning Apple Music's terms and days after Apple's decision to reverse prior policy and pay content owners per-stream royalty fees during Apple Music's promotional 90-day free trial period. Beggars Group owns 4ad, Matador, Rough Trade and XL Recordings.
The company came under fire this week when Taylor Swift made much ado over the loss of income artists would face as a result of Apple's previous terms. After modifying Music's royalty structure, Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue spoke to Swift, reporting back that she was "thrilled" with the changes.
"The optics don't look good if Apple backs down to indie labels," Billboard's insider said. "But if they back down to an artist like Taylor Swift, it shows they are sensitive to artist concerns, unlike Spotify, who blew Taylor Swift off when she complained about the free tier."
Apple Music lands on iOS, OS X and Windows on June 30 with human playlist curation, Beats 1 radio and the Connect social network for artists. Following a three-month trial period, users can continue streaming services for $10 per month or $15 per month for families up to six.
AppleInsider Staff
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
34 Comments
[QUOTE]"The optics don't look good if Apple backs down to indie labels," Billboard's insider said. "But if they back down to an artist like Taylor Swift, it shows they are sensitive to artist concerns, unlike Spotify, who blew Taylor Swift off when she complained about the free tier." [/QUOTE] That's logical. Anyway... [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/60299/width/350/height/700[/IMG]
[B]Taylor the Savior OR Savor the Taylor[/B] Taylor Swift Statistics: Instagram: 34.8m followers Facebook: 71m followers Twitter: 59.3m followers I wonder how many of Taylor's followers are using an iOS device and how many will jump on Apple Music within a week? ...meanwhile back at the Guardian reporting on The Music Farm: [I]Record companies and trade bodies in the UK, the US, Germany, France and Australia piled in and said they were not doing deals with Apple until it agreed to pay them during the free trials. Collectively, the protesting labels – which included Beggars Group, home to Adele and Britain’s largest indie – represented about a quarter of the global market. Not to have Swift’s album 1989 on Apple Music, when it launches at the end of the month, is one thing;[B] to be missing tens of millions of songs from independent acts is a whole other matter. [/B] [/I] Good to see that Apple buckled under the pressure to Taylor Swift's Open Letter and didn't consider anything else in their decision to relent /s In the end... I'm going with [B]Savor the Taylor[/B] here... because D*MN that girl is photogenic! :smokey: [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/60301/width/800/height/1000[/IMG]
According to Rene Ritchie on MacBreak Weekly there was not universal agreement inside Apple to not pay during this trial period and it allegedly was debated up until the very last minute.
[quote name="ThePixelDoc" url="/t/186899/apple-music-reaches-streaming-deal-with-indie-labels-under-merlin-beggars-group#post_2739325"][B]Taylor the Savior OR Savor the Taylor[/B] Taylor Swift Statistics: Instagram: 34.8m followers Facebook: 71m followers Twitter: 59.3m followers I wonder how many of Taylor's followers are using an iOS device and how many will jump on Apple Music within a week? ...meanwhile back at the Guardian reporting on The Music Farm: [I]Record companies and trade bodies in the UK, the US, Germany, France and Australia piled in and said they were not doing deals with Apple until it agreed to pay them during the free trials. Collectively, the protesting labels – which included Beggars Group, home to Adele and Britain’s largest indie – represented about a quarter of the global market. Not to have Swift’s album 1989 on Apple Music, when it launches at the end of the month, is one thing;[B] to be missing tens of millions of songs from independent acts is a whole other matter. [/B] [/I] Good to see that Apple buckled under the pressure to Taylor Swift's Open Letter and didn't consider anything else in their decision to relent /s In the end... I'm going with [B]Savor the Taylor[/B] here... because D*MN that girl is photogenic! :smokey: [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/60301/width/800/height/1000[/IMG][/quote] IMHO, Apple and Taylor Swift played this PR campaign masterfully.
According to Rene Ritchie on MacBreak Weekly there was not universal agreement inside Apple to not pay during this trial period and it allegedly was debated up until the very last minute.
I trust Ritchie. He has inside connections and is usually right about stuff concerning Apple. And he is a good counterpoint to Leo LaPorte’s constant criticism of Apple. I watch MacBreak Weekly religiously.