Billy Bragg has issued a formal apology to Taylor Swift after incorrectly claiming she "sold her soul to Google." The controversy emerged when YouTube used Swift's music during demonstrations of their new YouTube Music Key service to journalists, creating the impression that her catalog would be available on the platform.

Key points about the situation:

• YouTube featured Swift's music in demos to journalists but later confirmed her music would not be available on Music Key
• The music was only used as an internal demo without Swift's authorization
• Bragg initially criticized Swift, believing her Spotify boycott was a corporate power play
• He now supports Swift's fight for artist transparency and fair compensation

In his apology, Bragg acknowledged: "I now realize I was mistaken in this assumption and wish to apologize to Ms Swift for questioning her motives. If Ms Swift is going to lead that fight for transparency, she will have my full support."

This incident highlights ongoing challenges artists face regarding music streaming services, fair compensation, and transparency in deals between rights holders and service providers. Artists increasingly need collective action to address these industry-wide issues.

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