Photograph Credit score: GabboT / CC by 2.0
Taylor Swift proves that digital music downloads nonetheless have worth by introducing restricted version album downloads for Midnights.
On Thursday, January 5, Taylor Swift’s official retailer launched a restricted 12-hour sale of unique digital album downloads of her latest album, Midnights. Every of the 4 restricted version variations featured new cowl artwork with a distinct picture of Swift, with bonus content material referring to one in every of 4 tracks: “Mastermind,” “Anti-Hero,” “Karma,” and “Bejeweled.” The digital albums every solely value $4.99, so the swiftest of Swifties might rating all 4 for $20.
When organized in a sq. formation, the 4 albums kind a clockface just like the covers on the 4 particular version vinyl copies of Midnights that Swift introduced in September. However by creating shortage with a 12-hour window for the digital copies, Swift has confirmed that digital content material can nonetheless spark fan curiosity — even with out the blockchain integration of an NFT.
By promoting on to followers with out utilizing a 3rd occasion like Amazon or Apple Music, Swift has not solely stored extra of her income but in addition gained buy and get in touch with information from every of her devoted followers making a purchase order. This information solely helps Swift when creating content material for her followers sooner or later.
Whereas downloads don’t make a comeback the way in which vinyl has, Taylor Swift has demonstrated that they nonetheless have their place inside music monetization methods. Promoting downloads on to followers like merch generates extra earnings and information.
For Swift, that is particularly helpful when entities like Ticketmaster have let her followers down prior to now. The historic sale of live performance tickets for her Eras Tour subsequent yr brought on mass outages for Ticketmaster, main some Swifties to sue the platform.
The 11-time Grammy winner launched Midnights in late October, nevertheless it’s already made a splash as one in every of Swift’s most historic albums. The lead single, “Anti-Hero,” debuted at Quantity One on the Scorching 100, and the album made Swift the primary artist to occupy all ten of the highest ten spots on the Scorching 100.
