Photo Credit: Alfred Nitsch / CC by 3.0
Dee Snider isn’t holding back when it comes to criticizing Spotify for its artist payouts. He believes that licensing has been a far better source of income for him, compared to any streaming service.
Spotify, the top music streaming platform, has faced severe backlash for its meager payouts to artists. Many argue that artists signed with major labels unfairly benefit through playlist positioning and promotion. Whether this points to wider industry issues or is specific to Spotify, opinion is divided. Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, however, doesn’t mince his words and places the blame squarely on Spotify CEO Daniel Ek.
During a recent interview with The Jeremy White Show, Snider didn’t hold back on his feelings, stating, “That guy from Spotify should be taken out and shot. His response to artist complaints about low payments was ‘make more music’ — as if we’re producing cans of Coke. It was insulting and belittling.”
“Licensing is the last godsend, the last oasis where you can actually make some money,” Dee explains, highlighting a final income avenue. “Thank you, God, ‘cause I’m not getting anything from Spotify,” he adds, referring to Steven Spielberg’s selection of a Twisted Sister track for a film finale.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has his own perspective, stating in a 2020 interview with Music Ally that successful artists don’t speak out because they “have no incentive” to. Ek blames struggling artists’ inability to adapt to the changing music landscape, emphasizing the need for continuous fan engagement.
Some artists, such as Dee Snider, Sebastian Bach, and Mike Portnoy, have fired back at Ek’s comments. They believe his wealth, in part, comes from profiting off other artists’ music and argue that his suggestions for artists to make more music to earn more money are unfair.
It’s clear that the debate around artist payouts on Spotify is far from over. Regardless, the voices of artists like Dee Snider continue to be heard loud and clear. For more on this ongoing discussion, read more here.
Read More rnrn
