Why Is Taylor Swift’s New Album “1989” Not on Spotify?
As an avid Spotify listener, I love to devote my time adding music to my Spotify playlist. If it’s free, I’m listening to it. If I’m not sure about a song before buying it, I preview the song freely through Spotify.
As you all may have read Kristen Rinaldi’s latest article about the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, 1989, I was just as excited as she wrote it out to be! To be honest, I would say I was rather keen on officially buying Swift’s 1989 album because, although it turned out to be a very catchy song, I was not too pleased with her single song release of “Shake It Off.”
With that being said, as soon as 1989 was released on iTunes and in retail stores, I was sure to check Spotify to listen to it before buying it. I searched Taylor Swift’s new album on Spotify, only to find out it was nowhere to be found.
It has been stated that Taylor Swift did not want her music freely streaming the web or other commercial streaming music services upon release. Why, TSwift fans may be asking? Swift wanted her newest album to be bought to create revenue and to see how much she could sell. She also hopes to be the first album released in 2014 to obtain the Recording Industry Association of America certification.
As famous Rebecca Black and other Taylor Swift fans so “kindly” tweet:
Although I and many other Swift fans may be disappointed the album is not on Spotify, I do understand where she is coming from. Swift says, “”Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for. It’s my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album’s price point is. I hope they don’t underestimate themselves or undervalue their art.”
In return, Swift offers free Polaroid pictures inside the album case as well as voice memos and “secret” messages.
To all the Taylor Swift fans out there, I recommend you go out and buy her album because I was suckered in, bought it, and am now loving 1989!
