Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has spoken out about the recent Taylor Swift controversy, writing a blog post explaining why Swift was wrong to remove her music from the popular streaming site.
Earlier this month, Swift's entire back catalogue became unavailable on the site, a move which prompted the company to beg for her to come back (a move which Swift herself has yet to agree to).
Now, Ek has gone into detail about the website's relationship with artists and bands, disputing claims that an act can't make money from streaming their music.
“We started Spotify because we love music and piracy was killing it. So all the talk swirling around lately about how Spotify is making money on the backs of artists upsets me big time,” explained Ek, before detailing that the website had paid out over $2billion in royalties since the service started in 2008.
“When I hear stories about artists and songwriters who say they’ve seen little or no money from streaming and are naturally angry and frustrated, I’m really frustrated too. The music industry is changing – and we’re proud of our part in that change – but lots of problems that have plagued the industry since its inception continue to exist.” he continued.
Ek then argued that the service actually encourages fans to buy music, explaining that acts like Swift could make up to $6 million a year from Spotify streams, a figure that couldn't be matched by Youtube or Soundcloud. "Here’s the thing I really want artists to understand: Our interests are totally aligned with yours. Even if you don’t believe that’s our goal, look at our business. Our whole business is to maximize the value of your music. We don’t use music to drive sales of hardware or software. We use music to get people to pay for music,”
Watch the video for Swift's 'Shake It Off' below:
Concluding his argument, Ek explained the benefits of Spotify in comparison to other services, arguing: “We’re getting fans to pay for music again. We’re connecting artists to fans they would never have otherwise found, and we’re paying them for every single listen. We’re not just streaming, we’re mainstreaming now, and that’s good for music makers and music lovers around the world.”
As of today, Swift's music still isn't back on Spotify, the blog post is available to read in full here.
