Singer-songwriter and political activist has criticized pop singer Taylor Swift over her decision to remove her music from streaming service Spotify but add it to Google’s new Music Key service. Bragg described the move as “corporate power play”, after Swift initially claimed that she was pulling her back catalog from Spotify because music shouldn’t be free.
Bragg said that Swift wasn’t being honest with her fans by pretending to take a “principled stand against those who would give her music away for free” before allowing another service to do exactly that. The Barking musician suggested that the move was designed to help Swift enhance sales of her new album 1989 in the run-up to Christmas. The album sold 1.3 million copies around the world during its release week. Bragg said that if the musician wanted to challenge the “perception that music has no value”, she should also remove her music from Google’s YouTube service, which he called the “biggest streaming service in the world”.
Bragg has said that he was not informed by a company representing his independent label that his music would be featured on Music Key as part of a deal it signed. He said that Swift was choosing sides in a battle between Spotify and Google rather than making a real stand for musicians struggling financially.
What do you think? Has Swift been honest or is she simply taking sides in a war between two giants? Let us know in the comments below.
