Business News Deals Digital Releases Top Stories

Apple Music scores exclusive on Taylor Swift concert film

By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 14 December 2015

Fans of Apple Music had better get themselves a Taylor Swift account. Or something like that. I don’t know. The point is, the tech star and pop corporation have put aside all the bad blood that stemmed from that seven-hour feud back in June and are now getting all up close and personal with Apple’s streaming platform getting exclusive dibs and festive dabs on the concert film of Swift’s ‘1989’ world tour. And just in time for Christmas.

The tie-up was announced yesterday, along with details about the concert film, which will include an entire show from the singer’s tour – filmed at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney – plus some of that “never-before-seen” backstage footage and guest appearances from acts who supported the popstar on her most recent live trek. It will go live on Apple Music for paying subscribers or anyone still on a three-month free trial on 20 Dec.

It is, of course, a coup for Apple, and the second time the singer has helped the tech giant’s streaming service grab headlines. Though the first time was a less conventional alliance, when Swift hit out at the tech firm’s plans to pay no royalties during the three month free trial period of its streaming platform, securing an almost immediate back down by Apple bosses, and ensuring them front page news coverage of their new service worldwide.

The new tie-up is also a big exclusive for Apple’s streaming service at the end of a year when the prospect of digital platforms increasingly seeking exclusive content has been much debated in the music community.

With most streaming services basically offering the same library of music for pretty much the same price point, many have predicted that platforms would increasingly demand artist exclusives to give them a unique selling point in a crowded market place, following the lead of the video-on-demand sector, which is dominated by Netflix and Amazon’s exclusive programmes.

Tidal made it clear that exclusives would be part of its game plan after the Jay-Z acquisition at the start of the year, and Apple – with its big pockets and, via iTunes, massive reach – has been expected to play this game too.

Though it seems likely that exclusives will generally be more of the kind seen in this new deal – ie concert recordings, backstage footage, special sessions – rather than artists giving one service exclusive access to a new album for any serious period of time. But it’ll be interesting to see how this side of streaming progresses in 2016.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift fans signed up to Apple Music will have themselves a very nice ‘Swiftmas’. Which is a word the singer is trying to trademark apparently. Yeah. That’s what I thought. Seasons greetings one and all.