Last night at the Grammys, free music streaming was questioned by some pretty big names. Record Academy president Neil Portnow and rap icon Common took to the stage at Staples Center to stand up for artists’ rights, questioning the extensive use of free streaming services.
The duo directed their attention towards free tier music streaming sites like Spotify, pressuring companies to pay artists for their work. To put it in Portnow’s words:
Isn’t a song worth more than a penny?
They brought up some very valid and convincing points, even acknowledging that streaming itself is actually a very useful and convenient medium for music. However, Portnow states that “we also have to make sure that artists grow up in a world where music is a viable career.”
It wasn’t all negative though, as Common took the opportunity to give a shout-out to the dedicated fans that actively help and support artists’ careers: “So tonight, my comrades of the recording academy would like to thank our fans who support our work by going to a concert, subscribing to a music service, collecting vinyl, or speaking out for artists’ rights.”
