Will Taylor Swift Stream? Music Industry Is Left to Guess
“Taylor Swift is one of the few artists who has the combination of star power
and fan cultivation to truly drive how her music is consumed,” said Vickie Nauman, an industry consultant and former digital music executive.
With streaming now contributing nearly two-thirds of the revenue of the recording industry in the United States,
few artists would even consider withholding their music from outlets like Spotify and Apple Music.
As the music world awaits the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, “Reputation,” on Friday, the industry
has been preoccupied with a guessing game: Will it be immediately available on streaming services?
Swift released her last album, “1989,” three years ago, streaming was still an unproven format,
and the defiant stances she took against Spotify and Apple over royalties and control were hailed as heroic wins for artists’ rights.
Swift also kept “1989” off streaming services, reaching a deal with Apple Music only after eight months; by
that time, the album had sold five million copies via download and CD.
