Taylor Swift decided to pull all of her albums from Spotify this week, and now it looks like Jason Aldean may be taking her cue.
Swift’s new album, ‘1989,’ sold more than 1.2 million in the first week of release, making her the first artist in the history of SoundScan to sell more than a million in opening week three different times. Choosing not offer the tracks for individual streaming was part of the marketing plan to get to that number.
“If I had streamed the new album, it’s impossible to try to speculate what would have happened. But all I can say is that music is changing so quickly, and the landscape of the music industry itself is changing so quickly, that everything new, like Spotify, all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment,” Swift says. “And I’m not wiling to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that I don’t feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists and creators of this music. And I just don’t agree with perpetuating the perception that music has no value and should be free.”
According to Nashville’s Tennessean newspaper, Aldean’s latest album, ‘Old Boots, New Dirt,’ is expected to be removed from Spotify, where it set a new record for best-ever debut week for a country album with more than 3.04 million streams. The album also sold well, opening at No. 1 despite being available for streaming, but according to Aldean’s label, it will no longer be available at Spotify. However, the rest of his catalog will remain for now.
Swift and Aldean are just two of the many artists who are struggling with how to navigate the impact of streaming services, which have grown more than 50 percent in the last year, while physical sales and paid downloads have continued to plummet.
Some advocates for services like Spotify view streaming as a way to make up for lost revenue from declining sales. Spotify offers consumers the choice to stream music for free with commercials, or pay five or ten dollars per month to avoid commercials and access special features. The service pays between 0.006 cents and 0.0084 cents for each stream, which critics have decried as far too low.
Still, Thirty Tigers President David Macias tells the Tennessean that if enough consumers subscribed to the service, it would balance out the revenue, pointing out the advantages of having almost any song available at any time without taking up room on consumers’ phones or devices.
“It’s a pretty great deal, and if this became the way that music was accessed by the majority of the consumers, then it’s an economically viable way to do business. At 40 million U.S. subscribers, [Spotify] then would be generating $4.8 billion a year, and that still leaves a lot of consumers who want to consume under the acquisition model,” he states. “It’s also a better option than piracy.”
Jon Loba, executive vice president of Aldaen’s label, BBR Music Group, points out that the principal sales for a new project are in the initial weeks and months after it drops, and aligns himself with those who say the royalties from streaming aren’t enough to compensate for the lost revenue from traditional sales when a new project is first released.
“There is a premium for ‘brand new’ — movies, cars, clothes, everything else,” Loba tells the Tennessean. “Why we devalue music, I don’t know. I understand five years down the road — potentially — there will be enough streaming revenue to balance it out. In the meantime, how much revenue are we giving away?”
Did Jason Aldean Really Call His New Album ‘Baby Making Music’?
News
BREAKING: Oprah Winfrey Calls Elon Musk a “Fraud” on Live TV—His Reaction Left the Studio Speechless Tensions exploded on The View when Oprah Winfrey unexpectedly called Elon Musk a “fraud” during a heated discussion. But what happened next stunned everyone—even the hosts. Musk’s unexpected response triggered an immediate apology from Oprah, but what did he say that flipped the entire moment on its head?
The eпtertaiпmeпt aпd bυsiпess worlds were rocked today as aп υпexpected clash υпfolded live oп пatioпal televisioп. Media mogυl Oprah…
SHOCKING EXIT: Jimmy Kimmel Abruptly Ends His Show and Announces Move to Canada—What Made Him Say “I’m Never Coming Back”? In a stunning on-air moment, Jimmy Kimmel revealed he’s pulling the plug on his long-running show and leaving the U.S. for good. His emotional declaration—“I’m moving to Canada and never coming back!”—has fans and critics alike asking: What happened behind the scenes to spark such a drastic decision?
Late-night television is reeling from a bombshell announcement: Jimmy Kimmel, host of the long-running Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is officially stepping away…
SAD NEWS: Lia Thomas Announces Retirement After Olympic Elimination—What Really Led to Her Decision? After a dramatic exit from the Olympic stage, Lia Thomas has officially announced her retirement from women’s swimming. But behind the headlines lies a deeper story—what pushed her to walk away, and what comes next for one of the sport’s most talked-about figures?
In a decision that has taken the swimming world by surprise, Lia William Thomas has announced her retirement from women’s…
Brittney Griner Makes Bold Prediction: “The WNBA Will Surpass the NFL in 5 Years”—And It’s All Because of Angel Reese? In a statement that’s turning heads across the sports world, Brittney Griner confidently claimed that the WNBA is on track to outgrow even the NFL—and credits rising star Angel Reese as the driving force. What does she see that others don’t? And could this prediction actually come true?
The American basketball community was rocked when Angel Reese dropped a bombshell ultimatum on Team USA. The fiery young star…
Oprah Winfrey Stuns Fans with Sudden Announcement After ‘The View’ Appearance—Why She’s Leaving the U.S. Just hours after a surprising segment on The View, Oprah Winfrey made an announcement that left fans speechless—she’s leaving the United States. What happened during the show that led to such a drastic decision? And where is she headed next? The reasons might surprise you.
In a move that has stunned fans and celebrities alike, Oprah Winfrey, the queen of media, has announced her plans…
Controversy Erupts as Girls’ Basketball Team Refuses to Play Against Transgender Athletes—What Led to Their Bold Statement? A high school girls’ basketball team has ignited national debate after declining to compete against a team with transgender athletes, citing concerns about fairness. Their statement—“It’s not fair”—has drawn both fierce support and sharp criticism. What really happened behind the scenes, and how are schools and sports officials responding?
Girls Basketball Team Refuses to Compete Against Transgender Athletes, Says ‘It’s Not Right’ A high school girls’ basketball team has…
End of content
No more pages to load