Taylor Swift To Apple Music: Drop Dead

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s 1989, which has not been released to any streaming services, will not be available at launch on Apple Music, either, representatives for both Swift’s label Big Machine Records and Apple confirm to BuzzFeed News.

Only Swift’s back catalog, which is currently available on many streaming services that require users to pay for a subscription — including Rdio and Tidal — will be found on Apple Music, the Big Machine rep said.

Swift has famously regarded streaming services with skepticism, saying last year that she believes “music should be consumed as albums.” In November, she removed all of her music from Spotify, the most popular on-demand streaming service, arguing that its free version devalues the art form.

The Big Machine rep said there are currently no plans to release 1989 to any streaming service in the near future, a strategy which forces consumers to either pay for the album in stores or procure it through other means. The strategy has certainly not harmed Swift’s commercial prospects. 1989 has sold nearly 5 million copies since its release last November, making it the best-selling album of both last year and this one.