Taylor Swift accepts the award for Album of the Year for "1989" at the 58th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California February 15, 2016.
Taylor Swift accepts the award for Album of the Year for "1989" at the 58th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California February 15, 2016. Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

Taylor Swift’s new “New Romantics” music video didn’t enamour all of her fans. The 26-year-old American music star released the video on Apple Music on Wednesday, but it’s not for free.

“The best people in life are free #NewRomantics,” she tweeted along with a preview of the video, which is definitely not free.

The video features behind-the-scenes footage from her “1989 World Tour,” including some never-before-seen personal shots of her.

“The fans are the best part of this tour,” she said in the video. “They’re the reason the shows are incredible, and I know those fans out there are just all in.”

Some of her fans, however, are not pleased that Swift not only released the video on Apple Music, but she did it for a price. There were those who complain about Swift favouring Apple users over her non-Apple user fans, but their real gripe is that their idol expects all of them to cough up cash every time for her.

“Taylor, we get it that you want to make money out of everything you have worked for, it's absolutel y your right, but honestly, this is too much. I mean, we pay for your albums, concerts, merch stuff, and now your music videos? I live in Tunisia and it's quite hard for me to get money on my phone, considering the fact that the cheapest iTunes-card is for 50$! I don't really care about money when it comes to Taylor Swift but this is about us, your fans, wanting to enjoy at least ONE thing from you for free,” Facebook user Selim Ghommidh wrote on Swift’s official page.

“I'm from Mexico and You never come with your tour, we support you so much, buying your CDs and a lot of merchandise and now this? What's happening Taylor? You must be the best people and I love you but your fans don't deserve this,” Kenia Hernandez added.

“The best people in life are free... Unlike this video, that we have to suscribe to Apple Music to watch it. Not everybody have access to this. I love your music Taylor, but this was a low move on you,” (sic) Maria Eugenia H S also wrote.

“New Romantics” is the seventh single released from the album “1989.”

Swift famously criticised Spotify in 2014 because the streaming company apparently undermined payment for songwriters. She also panned Apple Music in 2015, saying it did not offer royalties to artists during the streaming service’s three-month trial period. She removed her entire catalogue from Spotify, and threatened to pull “1989” from Apple. When Apple immediately announced they would pay artists during the trial period, she agreed to let her album stay on the catalogue. Spotify, however, was left Swift-less since then.

Meanwhile, the songstress has won the first ever Taylor Swift Award from the BMI. The music rights organisation decided to give Swift her namesake trophy to recognise her “incomparable creative and artistic talent and influence on music lovers throughout the world.” The gong will be handed to her at the 64th annual BMI Pop Awards on May 10 in Beverly Hills in the US.

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