[…]SHAHANI:  Late last night, executive Eddy Cue tweeted out, Apple Music will pay artists for streaming, even during customers’ free trial period. We hear you, @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple

And so ends some bad blood.

CASEY RAE: And all props to Taylor Swift for pulling this off.

SHAHANI: Casey Rae is CEO of the Future of Music Coalition.

RAE: It is really, really remarkable that she was able to influence Apple to change a fundamental business decision.

SHAHANI: Many small independent labels were making the same point. Spotify, the music streaming incumbent, also has a free version. But even in that free version, artists get paid. Spotify uses advertising revenue. Rae says Apple was regressing, cutting of payments to artists who were already shortchanged. And he criticizes the major labels who signed up for the deal.

RAE: I hope that they understand that they also have to start making the right decisions by artists and standing up for them when necessary, you know? If we didn’t have Taylor Swift, who would’ve stood up?