U2 caught a lot of flak for releasing their album Songs of Innocence for free with the help of Apple. Pink Floyd's Nick Mason thinks that isn't fair. The drummer recently spoke to GQ, expressing his issues with Apple and the fact that the Irish rock band took most, if not all, of the criticism regarding the whole debacle.
Mason said he would have had a hard time turning down the insane amount of money Apple paid U2 for the exclusive release (The New York Times has that number at more than $100 million). The whole ordeal made consumers think about how they want their music delivered to them, which the percussionist sees as a valuable conversation.
"Look, U2 are a great band, and Bono's an extraordinary individual, so this isn't an anti-U2 tirade," he said. "But it highlights a vital aspect to the whole idea of music in the 21st century. What's also interesting is that Apple seem to have got off scot-free. No one's blaming them. Apple has done great things, but it has also contributed to the devaluation process."
Mason, who along with bandmate David Gilmour released The Endless River under the Pink Floyd banner last year, supports streaming services like Spotify. He's concerned about younger talent being able to get noticed through the service, though, because it still isn't a great financial choice for unknown artists. Remember, Spotify boasts 60 million users, 15 million of which are paid subscribers.
"What we need is another 2 or 3 billion people using it, then it would make more sense for musicians," he added. "At the moment, the pay-out, particularly for unknowns and only slightly knowns is ... pathetic."
Sharon Osbourne, Tyler, The Creator and Foo Fighters have all been critical of U2's album giveaway.
