An Apple spokesperson claims that the company will not remove artists who decline to sign up for Apple Music from the iTunes Store.
This is the latest development in the tense negotiations leading up to the streaming service’s launch on June 30, with indie musicians and labels claiming that Apple is trying to bully and coerce them into putting their music on the new platform.
Apple made the statement to Rolling Stone in response to indie musician Anton Newcombe’s claims on Twitter that the company threatened to pull his work from its online store if he didn’t sign on for Apple Music.
So @APPLEOFFIClAL has a new deal they offered me: they said we want to stream your music free for 3 months..I said what if I say no,and they
— anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) June 17, 2015
(@APPLEOFFIClAL ) said "we'll take your music off itunes. hard ball? fuck these satanic corporations
— anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) June 17, 2015
(Note: The account Newcombe is addressing is not affiliated with Apple.)
Indies are reluctant to join Apple Music due to a section of the 250-page licensing agreement that says that they will not receive royalties for the first three months of the service. That is the period during which Apple Music will be free to all users. After that, an individual subscription will cost $9.99 a month, and a plan for a family of up to six members will be $14.99.
Evan Killham is a freelance writer who lives in Nebraska and isn’t interested in football, so he has plenty of time to play and think about video games. He has written for Bitmob and GamesBeat and sometimes, he even goes outside. But not too often because he’s heard there are bees out there. Occasionally, companies send free units for review. Evan subscribes to Cult of Mac’s Reviews Policy and also does not keep the items he receives for possible coverage.
3 responses to “Apple denies pulling non-Apple Music artists from iTunes”
I wonder if this will lead to a bunch of artists signing on after the free trial is over.
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So how would they fair on Spotify? Oh, thats right, they wouldn’t be broadcast. Apple are trying to build a platform to MAKE money for these ingrates, so what about 3 months of free exposure? If this gives them a platform they wouldn’t get elsewhere, what the hell are they bitching about??? Talk about self entitled assholes. I wonder if they’ll rip up their royalty cheques over this? My bet is no. BTW, radio stations can play your crap and not pay a cent either.