Taylor Swift's 1989 will come to Apple Music after all

By Joseph Keller
last updated

Despite a report last week saying that she wouldn't, Taylor Swift has announced that 1989, her latest album, will be available to stream on Apple Music. This came following Apple's agreement to pay artists during the service's three-month trial period, following criticism over their original reticence to do so from Swift herself.

From Taylor Swift on Twitter:

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Swift noted that this wasn't the result of an exclusivity deal with Apple, so it seems she is at least open to bringing the album to other services, though no announcements have been made. She said that this was the first time that streaming her album felt like the right move.

You'll be able to stream 1989 from Apple Music following the service's launch next week.

Source: Taylor Swift (Twitter)

Joseph Keller
Joseph Keller

Joseph Keller is the former Editor in Chief of iMore. An Apple user for almost 20 years, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.

52 Comments
  • meh
  • They should have her as the musical guest at the next iPhone event in September. It would help Apple look less like the old white geezer army that it generally appears to be when they promote geriatric has-been "rockers" like U2.
  • U2 is still great Sent from the iMore App
  • Or have Calvin Harris press play on a Nexus then palm pump for 3 hours. Sent from the iMore App
  • I like his music, but his personality and his live shows I could do without.
  • Continued negativity from you. U2 was and still is great talent! Sent from the iMore App
  • Their first album was pretty cool, I'll give them that. They've been basically repeating themselves ever since IMO. They're definitely from the "find a sound and milk it to death" school of rock.
  • Lots of bands are like that. I personally never was a big U2 fan, but they weren't the worst either. Sent from the iMore App
  • Meh
  • has-been "rockers"?? Looking at their studio albums of the past 20 years, begining with 1987's Joshua Tree 1987 - The Joshua Tree - Top US Chart Position #1
    1988 - Rattle and Hum - Top US Chart Position #1
    1991 - Achtung Baby - Top US Chart Position #1
    1993 - Zooropa - Top US Chart Position #1
    1997 - Pop - Top US Chart Position #1
    2000 - All That You Can't Leave Behind - Top US Chart Position #3
    2004 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - Top US Chart Position #1
    2009 - No Line on the Horizon - Top US Chart Position #1
    2014 - Songs of Innocence - Top US Chart Position #9 (This after anyone with an iTunes account that wanted it had it already). I am sure that any artist out today would kill to be "geriatric has-been "rockers" like U2" in 20-25 years. You may not like their music, but that doesn't mean they still aren't relevant. Also, wasn't it WALK THE MOON that played WWDC? Let's look at their discography 2010 - I Want! I Want! - Top US Chart Position # - DID NOT CHART
    2012 - Walk the Moon - Top US Chart Position #36
    2014 - Talking Is Hard - Top US Chart Position #14 (5 spots below U2's Songs of Innocence) Yeah, U2 is a has been.
  • "Popular" is not the same thing as "good," "interesting," "innovative," "new," "original" or any of a host of other adjectives that music can and should be. Britney Spears sells a lot of records too, as does Madonna and a long list of other no talent artists. In any case, I was talking only about image. Apple is run by a bunch of sixty year old white guys. Having sixty year old white rockers up on the stage doesn't help that image. To most of the people who buy Apple's music products, U2 is definitely either a "has been" band, or a "never heard of them" band.
  • It being popular doesn't make it bad either. What do you consider talent? If someone is better at your job than you, are you then talentless? Just because people in their field may be musically or vocally talented does not take away from the talent they do have. Wouldn't be too much ambition in the world if everyone thought that way.
  • Not a great U2 fan myself. But seriously, even Leonard Cohen and Keith Richards (both estimated 100+ years old) appear far less geriatric than this lame, square chick.
  • LMAO!! Apparently you just struck a chord with this comment.
  • Crazy how many elders took time away from Bingo to defend U2.
  • Feels like Apple Music is pushing streaming forward in general, with the attention (good and bad) it is generating. Younger neighbors and my kid's friends don't even bother with Spotify (or any streaming service) cause the parents don't know about it or won't pay for it...it's all iTunes gift cards for them to buy or free on YouTube. I'll be curious how this all plays out for regular people who aren't even aware what's out there.
  • For many streaming music won't be a big deal. I know a lot of people that would use it but don't have or won't pay for the data to stream. Sent from the iMore App
  • I think you're giving Apple Music far too much credit. It looks like a great service and I'll likely switch to it at some point in the future, but services like Spotify, Beats, Deezer, Pandora, and Google Play have done very well. Apple Music will be very successful but it's kind of late to the party here.
  • There's truth in the comment though. Apple has a way of taking features and services that have been out and making them much more popular. I think them throwing their hat in the streaming ring will definitely push the service forward.
  • I'm jumping ship from Spotify as soon as it's available on my Note 4 because of the great family pricing. If Spotify matches it then I guess I wouldn't switch. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • Hey Imore, you forgot the disclaimer....*Not Available in Canada on June 30.
  • So the whole kerfuffle was a big*** publicity stunt...
  • Not sure if it was set up from the start but they defiantly spun it that way. Can't say I blame them. Smart move all around from Apple and Taylor. Sent from the iMore App
  • People are *saying* that, but there isn't actually any evidence to support the idea.
  • Lack of evidence has never been definitive evidence that the act never took place, only diplomatically accepted. it's not like a multi billion dollar corporation is going to do something of this nature and not make it look slick and work if they had the Internet. Regardless things would seem to be moving in a more positive manner for now. Sent from the iMore App
  • Possibly. Either way Apple is going to pay during the trial period, which helps all artists. What I don't get though is that the cost is like $10 a month right? Couldn't you just buy an album a month like that? Sent from the iMore App
  • My daughter has about 2000 songs on her playlists alone. I have about 500. Also have 2 other kids and a wife with a few hundred titles of their own. How much would it cost to buy that music? Especially since most of the music isn't from albums but singles. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • Rejoice!
  • Um...enough about Taylor swift already?
  • Taylor Swift.
  • I don't get all the fuss about this album. The only song i liked was "Blank Space", the others seems pretty generic, maybe i'm just too old and i'm not the target audience anymore.
    And about the article, i'm pretty sure that everything was all set previously, now she is an Apple exclusive artist.
  • I'm just going to have to Shake it Off....what you said. See what I did there..... ;)
  • Only being on Apple Music does not make her an Apple exclusive artist. Apple just has terms she was willing to agree to where the others do not.
  • It's the #1 selling album of the year. Also it isn't on any of the other streaming services. That's what the fuss is about.
  • If the other streaming services paid during the free trial, they would have it... Assuming she isn't lying. Sent from the iMore App
  • publicity stunt yeah maybe. who cares, i cant wait to start using it.
  • So, she just happens to decide days before the launch of Apple Music to add her album? The main target in all of this song and dance is Spotify. As I said before, Apple needed something that was going to set them apart from Spotify. As said by MDN, "Spotify is hating life even more today. Just wait until Swift announces that “1989” is exclusive to Apple Music." (And now she has) This is a calculated PR move that will put Apple music in a good position to compete with Spotify. Well planned Apple.
  • After all the drama, she will come across as extremely dishonest and cheap, if she did not stream the album in Apple music.
  • Good for her to do this, I was pretty skeptical that she would. Happy to be proven wrong.
  • Clearly it had nothing to do with money for Taylor, just other artists. But now that the money is there, why not...
  • I'm still wondering what's going to happen to all of us that use Beats Music. We're going to be switched over to Apple Music? Sent from the iMore App
  • Read this. http://www.beatsmusic.com/faq
  • Good looking out, thanks. Sent from the iMore App
  • Another understated feature that Apple could have in their streaming service that would definitely pull some more people from Spotify (myself included) is if they have a setting to skip music with explicit lyrics. I am a teacher and love to steam music in my class but cannot with Spotify because I do not know what song will come up next. I am not saying censoring the music as when I am not in my class I would actually turn that feature off. As for Taylor Swift, for the young music-savvy crowd this is HUGE. Regardless of what you think of Taylor Swift she pretty much one of the most powerful people in music right now. Not many people take on Apple and then make them roll over and show their belly.
  • I think you may be reading a bit much into this. That vapid child has no sway.... She's a child. Apple knows that, and they've treated her like a child.
  • You're right - that's why she gets calls from Apple VPs on Sunday nights and you get?
  • It's sort of telling that the only way she can get anyone talking about this album is by telling people they can't have it. I don't think anybody really cares..
  • 8.6 million in album sales and three number one hits say you have no idea what you are talking about.
  • That doesn't equal quality. Quantity isn't quality.
    There's a difference. Not everyone is a devout fanboy of Taylor Swift. Truth be told Posted via the iMore App on my iPad Air or iPod Touch 5
  • People are boring and predictable as hell. It truly amazes me how many masses of people are just identical. Has an iphone. Listen to taylor swift. Goes on facebook daily. Partied in college. Has a 9-5 job. Likes starbucks. Cant tell you how to change engine oil. What is that, like 30 million people?
  • That's so very true. Include doesn't even even who the president of their country is. Can't find their own country on a world map. Doesn't even know the bill of rights. Is valid and egotistic constantly taking selfies and trying to feel better about themselves by their ikes they get on their posts. Posted via the iMore App on my iPad Air or iPod Touch 5
  • Great, more awful silver spoon pop music. Sent from the iMore App