Words: Tom Ward
Love it or hate it, Spotify has proved an enduring fixture of the music scene since its launch in 2006. Remember the days when the word ‘stream’ was a noun and meant a gently-flowing water course? It’s thanks to the likes of Spotify (and later platforms like Apple Music) that we’re now able to stream any song, anywhere, and largely without paying for it, barring a monthly subscription fee.
Like Napster and the iPod before it, any attempt to change the music industry doesn’t sit well with those who actually make a living from it – including the likes of Thom Yorke and Taylor Swift who temporarily withdrew their music from the service. And, with music piracy on the rise over the last twenty years, physical sales of actual IRL albums have declined, forcing musicians to take to the road if they want to make any cash. It’s a problem Spotify has certainly exacerbated.
"I'd sooner people stole my work than stream it from Spotify...”
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