In a recent interview with GQ, Trent Reznor, the frontman of Nine Inch Nails, has criticised streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, saying that their payment policies have “mortally wounded” many artists. He added that although these platforms may benefit high-profile artists like Drake, smaller musicians such as Grizzly Bear struggle to make a living. Reznor also suggested that Apple could use its influence to pay artists in a more “fair or significant way” compared to other streaming services.
The interview comes after Spotify announced that it had demonetised all songs with fewer than 1,000 streams, a move that has been criticised by many artists. For example, Murray Matravers of the band formerly known as Easy Life told NME that although Spotify was great for discovering music, its royalty rates were “terrible.” He also expressed his desire for artists to receive fair compensation for record sales.
Despite his criticisms of streaming, Reznor acknowledged that people increasingly want music to be available to them at all times. He also spoke about Nine Inch Nails’ upcoming projects, including a new album, music festival, TV show, XR game, and clothing line.
Ultimately, Reznor’s comments reflect a wider debate about the future of the music industry in the digital age. While streaming has provided greater accessibility to music, it has also raised concerns about payment fairness and compensation for smaller musicians
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