Writing on Twitter, Swift said: “This is simply the first time it’s felt right in my gut to stream my album. Thank you, Apple, for your change of heart.”
Apple had previously decided not to pay artists for the trial period of their new streaming service, to which Swift voiced her displeasure on social media site, Tumblr, claiming the policy was unfair to “the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success.”
The U-turn is good news for Apple, but also comes as a big blow to rival music streaming service, Spotify, following their spat last year, where the ‘Bad Blood’ artist withdrew her catalogue from the site.
With 1989 being added to the service, Apple are the only streaming site with the rights to the album, with Taylor’s four previous albums already featured on there.
Swift had previously accused Apple of asking artists to “work for nothing” and branded them “shocking” and “disappointing” over their policy of not paying artists during Apple Music’s three-month free trial, only receiving a percentage of revenues once users start paying the $9.99 monthly fee.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services, responded via Twitter on Monday morning, saying: “Apple will always make sure that artist [sic] are paid.
“Apple Music will pay artist [sic] for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period,” he added. “We hear you Taylor Swift and indie artists. Love, Apple.”
Swift said she was “elated and relieved” at the response, adding “They listened to us.”
Apple launched its star-studded streaming service at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) earlier this month with the help of rapper Drake in San Francisco.
Andy Heath, chairman of industry lobby group UK Music had previously told the Telegraph that under the service’s original terms Apple Music would leave them “completely screwed” and struggling to survive.
“If you are running a small label on tight margins you literally can’t afford to do this free trial business,” he said at the time. “Their plan is clearly to move people over from downloads, which is fine, but it will mean us losing those revenues for three months.”
Apple are preparing to launch their new music streaming site next week.
