Why Taylor Swift Waited Six Months To Release One 'Midnights' Song On Streaming Platforms

Taylor Swift has really cracked the code on streaming. She was already one of the biggest musicians of the 2010s, but she has taken things to another level in the 2020s, re-releasing her classic albums and setting records with new ones like "Midnights" (2022).

"Midnights" was the first album in music history to have its songs occupy all ten spots on the Billboard Hot 100. It's a feat that many thought impossible, and will likely never be duplicated. Needless to say, the album is one of Swift's most important.

That being said, there's one song from the "Midnights" era that wasn't available on streaming platforms for over six months. Swift has finally made it available, and fans have been scratching their heads as to why it took so long.

Taylor Swift Released 'You're Losing Me' As A Bonus Track On Physical Versions Of 'Midnights'

Taylor Swift loves presenting her albums in different ways. She collaborated with Target to release a version of "1989" (2014) with three bonus tracks that weren't immediately available on streaming, so when it came time to plan the album roll-out for "Midnights", the pop star took another unique approach.

Via: Instar

She decided to release multiple versions of "Midnights", each with its own distinct bonus tracks. There was the "Lavender Edition", which was a Target exclusive that came with three new songs, and the "Til Dawn Edition", which featured remixes of album cuts with artists like Lana Del Rey. The most lauded version, though, was the "Late Night Edition", which featured seven new songs, including "You're Losing Me."

"You're Losing Me" quickly became a fan-favorite, with many interpreting the lyrics to be about Swift's relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. The two dated for six years before splitting up in May 2023, which is right around the time the song was released.

According to Variety, Swifties were so excited to get a copy of "You're Losing Me" that multi-day lines formed at her merchandise stands the day of its release:

The other six songs on the "Late Night Edition" were made available on streaming platforms, and one of them, the Ice Spice-assisted "Karma (Remix)", was even nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 66th Grammy Awards. "You're Losing Me", on the other hand, was kept off Apple Music and Spotify.

Taylor Swift Has A Complicated Relationship With Streaming And Encourages Fans To Buy Physical Media

Taylor Swift has had a fraught history with streaming platforms. She famously removed her music from Spotify in December 2014, and discussed her issues with the platform's treatment of musicians during an interview with Yahoo! News:

Swift eventually put her catalog back on Spotify (more on her evolving relationship with the company later). She also took Apple Music to task in a 2015 Tumblr post and criticized the platform's free trial option on the grounds that artists wouldn't be getting paid to have their music streamed during these trials.

The singer has made it clear that she values the old school process of releasing an album in stores and having fans buy it. She has gone out of her way to reward fans who are willing to pay extra, and songs like "You're Losing Me" are positioned as tokens of her appreciation.

Via: Instar

If every "exclusive" Taylor Swift song that came with a CD or a vinyl was immediately uploaded to streaming, then it would cease to be exclusive. The exclusivity angle worked, as "Midnights" became the first album to sell more vinyl copies than CDs since 1987.

Thanks to non-streaming songs like "You're Losing Me", Swift sold 2.484 million copies on vinyl in 2023. This translates to 6.43% of all vinyl album sales, according to Billboard, which means she was nearly responsible for one of every 15 vinyl albums sold.

Taylor Swift Finally Put The Song On Spotify To Commemorate Being The Most-Streamed Artist Of 2023

So, why, then, if Swift is benefiting from keeping songs off streaming platforms, did she finally agree to release "You're Losing Me" on Spotify? Well, as we alluded to previously, the singer's relationship with the company has changed.

Swift initially took her music down from Spotify because the platform refused to keep it off its free tier. The singer's fanbase was so large, however, that Spotify changed its business model to raise royalty rates in an effort to bring her back. It worked out for both sides. Spotify gets to house one of the most celebrated and obsessed-over catalogs in all of pop music, and Swift gets increased royalty rates every time a fan plays one of her songs.

Spotify announced that Taylor Swift is the most-streamed global artist of 2023. This is the first time Swift has received this honor, as she managed to outdo 2022 titleholder Bad Bunny with a staggering 26.1 billion streams. To show her appreciation to the fans, the singer decided to finally release "You're Losing Me" on the platform.

Swift broke the news on Instagram, where she debuted the single artwork for "You're Losing Me". The artwork template matches the rest of the songs from the "Midnights" sessions. Swift also included a lengthy message that looked back on her record-breaking year:

Swift mentions holiday gifts in her message, and she just gave her fans a terrific one.