Following the affair between Neil Young and Joe Rogan at the end of which the artist’s catalog has been removed from Spotify, Stereogum spoke on the phone with another big name in music who also removed his music from the platform: David Crosby. During the interview, he revealed why, in his eyes, the modern music industry is quite hopeless.
“Don’t become musicians,” Crosby said when asked what he would say to young artists trying to venture into the world of streaming. “I don’t like Spotify. I don’t like any of the streamers, because they don’t pay us properly. It is not acceptable insofar as it has taken away half of my income, and it is not acceptable because it makes it extremely difficult for young people in this sector to succeed. It does nothing for them. It’s bad”.
David Crosby acknowledged that young artists don’t have the same luxury as music veterans, who can ditch streaming altogether. He said it might be best not to try to make a living from music after all, and just play for fun. “You know how shitty it is for me to say that? You know how much I don’t mean that?” he added.
He continues, “I believe in that hippie bullshit. I think music is an uplifting force, times are really tough and people need to be uplifted. I make music because it makes things better and makes people happier. That’s enough for me. If I don’t get paid, I don’t get paid.”
This could have some consequences in the not so distant future. The artist says he is worried about the future: “It’s good for now, but I’m going to run out of money in a few years and then I’ll have to sell my house. That’s it, that’s all. I I can’t do anything about it. I can’t play live anymore. I’m 80 years old and my health is very fragile. I can’t change the market”.
On Spotify, Crosby doesn’t mince words: “They’re making money and they’re not going to change that. They’re not going to suddenly develop a sense of moral responsibility. They’re despicable people.” Ihe controversy with Rogan was the straw that broke the camel’s back for him to avoid streaming platforms for good.
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