The famous singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift, put her music catalogue back onto streaming services like Spotify on Friday morning at midnight for the first time in nearly three years. In July of 2014, Swift had penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal arguing that music is an art that should be paid for, then later removed her albums from streaming services in November of that same year.
Was Swift's decision diabolical?
Although Swift has said that her latest career move is meant to celebrate record-breaking sales of her "1989" album and her overall song downloads as a gift to her devoted fans, it is rumored that her decision directly correlates to her feud with Katy Perry, since Perry's new album, "Witness" was released on the same day.
The two had established enemy status years ago over backup dancers, and now fans believe that Swift has escalated the fight. To add to her slyness, she has also discounted her catalog on Apple Music.
The gossip never ends.
Several Swifties think the decision was a revenge ploy since Perry gossiped to James Cordon and others about Swift. According to Perry, the first track, entitled "Swish, Swish," released from her album last month, is about standing up against anyone who has ever tried to tear you down. Immediately, people interpreted that the song was indicative of the hostility between Swift and Perry. This isn't the first instance of this back and forth gossip either, because Swift's "1989" hit "Bad Blood" is also believed to be about the two's rocky history.
Marketing strategy
Despite what fans think, though, Swift's personality and time in the spotlight must be taken into account in this situation. She is the top-earning celebrity worldwide, since she has always made smart marketing decisions, so her latest resolve is as much a part of her strategic thinking as it is about retribution.
In addition to her songwriting abilities, she has a knack for understanding the business aspect of the music industry and has defended artists' rights for years.
Social media silence
Swift was always known for her presence on social media, but surprisingly to fans, has been rather radio-silent on her social media channels since February, save for a tweet in honor of the Manchester victims and some shoutouts to her friends on Instagram. Therefore, it is very unlikely that she will share any more about her sudden change in heart, regarding her artistic choices, with her fans.
