The good news about being from a renowned rock band that's almost universally accepted as hip is that when you says things about the state of music, the music industry, and the music culture, people listen to you. Hence why many have presumed that streaming services such as Spotify are in fact the bane of music, thanks to recent commentaries from Talking Heads boss David Byrne and Radiohead vocalist Thom Yorke. One performer, Dave Allen, has the opposite view.
Allen, the bassist for postpunk legends Gang of Four (an act not quite as renowned as his opponent's bands, but equally hip), wrote a letter contradicting Byrne and Yorke on behalf of North, an advertising agency for which he serves as director of digital strategy. He alleges that the pair have singled out the internet as the scapegoat for the downturn in music profitability.
"The Internet and Spotify are not to blame for musician's problems," he said. "It is hard for me to understand why intelligent men like David Byrne and Thom Yorke, along with David Lowery, do not appear to understand that we are in the midst of new markets being formed. I would also add that many journalists and media commentators don't understand this phenomenon either."
Music Times doesn't have an official stance on the issue yet, but both sides have made equally valid points. Allen noted that no one seems to mind other forms of business being wiped out en masse (such as travel agencies), Byrne argued that streaming services might allow big names such as himself to get by, smaller acts won't be able to get off the ground, creating what he described as a "blockbuster culture."
All Music Times wants to point out is that Metallica got ragged to death when they came out against Napster. Surely Thom Yorke and David Byrne could give them a shout-out 13 years later.
