Why Taylor Swift Succeeded Where Record Labels, Indies Failed

Taylor Swift’s lightning-quick victory over Apple Inc. demonstrates how high-profile artists can use public shaming to shape the music business when even major record labels haggling behind the scenes can’t.

The biggest music companies, after months of negotiations, couldn’t convince Apple to pay royalties during a three-month trial period, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Before Swift spoke up, other major artists privately threatened to pull their albums from Apple’s new service, said the people, who weren’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly.