apple music

Apple Music Has Finally Struck a Deal With Independent Labels, Mostly Thanks to Taylor Swift

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Don’t worry, Adele will be on Apple Music. Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images

When Apple Music first announced that it’d launch its new streaming service with a free three-month trial period during which artists and labels would receive no royalties, many independent music labels put their feet down. None of that mattered until last weekend, when Taylor Swift, the most powerful person in the biz, penned an open letter to Apple on Tumblr demanding that artists get paid. And because you don’t say no to Tay, Apple caved and has since changed its royalties policy. Now it appears that indie labels have changed their minds, too: Billboard reports that Apple Music struck a last-minute deal Tuesday night with Beggars Music and independent digital-rights organization Merlin to bring their artists’ music to the service. Beggars Music is currently home to some of indie music’s biggest imprints, including 4AD, XL, Matador, and Rough Trade. So when Apple Music goes live June 30, you’ll be able to stream all the Adele, Radiohead, and Arcade Fire you want for free for three months without a guilty conscience.

Apple Music Strikes Deal With Independent Labels