What Prince Could (but Probably Doesn't) Mean for the Future of Apple Music

Prince is the new Taylor Swift. The artist has pulled his catalog from most streaming services, with a few notable exceptions. His music is still available on Jay-Z’s Tidal, a coup for a business that's struggled since its high-profile launch earlier this year. Prince’s music is also still on digital radio services such as Pandora and Songza, which operate on so-called compulsory licenses that make it tricky for artists to refuse to participate.

Prince’s actions point toward a possible future for monthly streaming services that could undermine the idea altogether. The promise of an Apple Music or a Spotify is that once a subscription fee is paid, listeners don’t have to worry about anything. But already, someone who wants access to both Taylor Swift’s 1989 and Prince’s Purple Rain has to buy two subscriptions, or supplement the supposedly comprehensive service she has chosen with a few actual album purchases.