Update 6/25/2015: The New York Times reports that Apple is paying 0.2¢ per song streamed, which is said to be "roughly comparable to the free tiers from services like Spotify." Another, smaller payment will also go to music publishers for songwriting rights.
Original story: Taylor Swift isn't the only artist happy with Apple's decision to pay artists for songs played during Apple Music's three-month free trial: Billboard reports that major indie outfits Beggars Group and the Merlin Network have also made deals with Apple. Indie labels and artists had been fairly vocal about not wanting to sign up for the service, but it took a letter from Taylor Swift to actually change Apple's mind.
Swift's letter, which was published this past Sunday, stated that she would not be releasing her latest album 1989 to Apple Music because of the service's royalty-free trial period. She acknowledged that as a major, established act, she didn't need those royalties to get by; others in the industry aren't so fortunate.
"This is not about me," Swift wrote. "Thankfully I am on my fifth album and can support myself, my band, crew, and entire management team by playing live shows. This is about the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success. This is about the young songwriter who just got his or her first cut and thought that the royalties from that would get them out of debt. This is about the producer who works tirelessly to innovate and create."
Later that day, Apple's Eddy Cue announced that artists would be paid for the duration of the trial period after all. He attributed the decision to complaints from Swift and indie labels, all of which seem happier with the new agreement.
Apple Music's June 30 launch is just under a week away. The service will include a 24-hour human-curated radio station called Beats One and will require the new Music app shipping with the upcoming iOS 8.4 update. After the trial ends, the service will cost $10 a month for individuals and $15 a month for families of up to six people.
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