In a recent interview with Classic Rock, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett reflected on the rise of streaming services, and let’s just say he isn’t a big fan.
The interview involving Hammett includes a variety of subjects, such as the guitarist’s new solo EP, Portals. At one point however, the interviewer brings up the topic of Napster, and how Metallica were one of the big bands fighting against peer-to-peer file sharing; that technology is obviously what has led us to streaming services like Spotify today.
When the interviewer brings this up, Kirk Hammett’s response is pretty to the point, saying that “We warned everyone that the music industry was gonna lose eighty percent of its net worth, power and influence.” He is not that pleased with how things have changed when it comes to this kind of technology.
From the Classic Rock interview:
[Classic Rock]: Classic Rock launched just before Napster came along in 1999, and the music industry started to change. Metallica were one of the big names fighting against peer-to-peer file sharing, which morphed into the streaming model that prevails today.
[Kirk Hammett]: We warned everyone that this was gonna happen. We warned everyone that the music industry was gonna lose eighty percent of its net worth, power and influence. When these monumental shifts come you just either fucking rattle the cage and get nothing done or you move forward.
There’s definitely a new way for getting music out there, but it isn’t as effective as the music industry pre-Napster. But we’re stuck with it. There needs to be some sort of midway point where the two come together, or another completely new model comes in.
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What do you think of what Kirk Hammett had to say? It has been said a number of times before, but streaming services are one hell of a double edge sword; whereas they do provide artists the opportunity to share their art with the world, said services also pay-out horribly to artists.
To that latter sentiment, Ozzy Osbourne is an individual who is not super pleased with the royalty system of streaming services.
On the other side of things, that of Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows and Disturbed singer David Draiman feel that streaming services have saved the industry.
Whose side are you on when it comes to streaming services?
Disturbed’s David Draiman Defends Spotify And Tells Artists, “Blame Yourselves”
‘Spotify is a f****** joke’: Ozzy Osbourne Speaks To Lackluster Streaming Service Royalties