Spotify's Better Without Taylor Swift

In the past week, Taylor Swift pulled her newest album, 1989, off of Spotify's streaming service.  And then everyone freaked out.  Swift's explanation was that,

"Everything new, like Spotify, all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment.  And I'm not willing 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..."

Taylor Swift's net worth is estimated to be around $200 million.  I don't know what she is complaining about.

With Swift taking her album off of Spotify, the entire music and social community is now expressing their sentiments.  The Black Keys and Radiohead have previously complained about Spotify's royalties payments, but now Bono is speaking up for Spotify.  One of the most recognizable frontmen is backing up Spotify, saying "Let's experiment.  Let's see what works."  Bono recognizes that artists should get paid more, but "the greatest way you serve your songs is to get them heard."

Via Spotify's website

Spotify is a great platform for users to find new artists or listen to new albums and decide how much you love them.  I have the free service of Spotify, but I use it not only to listen to the playlists I've created, I test out what songs I like, then go over to iTunes and buy them.  Over the past two months, I have bought at least a dozen songs legally, meaning the artists get paid, and it was all thanks to Spotify.

CEO Daniel Ek says they created Spotify on the basis that "We love music and piracy was killing it."  Spotify pays about 70% of their revenue to rights holders.  They even have a formula for royalties, so if your music is played more on Spotify, you get a bigger check.  Since its creation in 2008, Spotify has paid over $2 billion in royalties, $1 billion alone in 2013.  Artists are getting paid, and if listeners become fans, they will most likely go buy your album legally on iTunes, so you get paid twice.

Artists need to realize that Spotify is creating a community.  People can follow artists and see what playlists they make, and invite others to listen to music, hear artists' commentary on their albums and more.  It's more than trying to "not" pay artists, Spotify is a platform that is trying to make people fans of music (legally) again.  Without Spotify, many listeners (probably even me) would not listen to new music and not pay for anything.  Artists should want to be a part of this community, and Taylor Swift is shooting herself in the foot for not wanting to be a part of her fans' music experience.  Spotify, you keep doing you, and the artists will realize how important you are.