Björk Says Spotify Is the 'Worst Thing That Has Happened to Musicians'

Björk did not hold back when it came to how she feels about Spotify and its impact on the music industry.

During a recent interview, Björk shared that her senior status in the music industry has allowed her certain benefits, something that platforms like Spotify are taking away from younger artists.

"The live part is, and always will be, a big part of what I do. But I'm lucky because I no longer have to raise money on touring, which younger musicians are often forced to do," she said to Swedish outlet Dagens Nyheter, translated via NME.

It was after this that she launched into her scathing critique of Spotify.

"In that respect, Spotify is probably the worst thing that has happened to musicians. The streaming culture has changed an entire society and an entire generation of artists," Björk added.

The singer previously spoke out against the streaming giant back in 2015 when she removed her album Vulnicura from the platform.

"We're all making it up as it goes, to be honest. I would like to say there's some master plan going on [with the album release], but there isn't. But a few months ago I emailed my manager and said, 'Guess what? This streaming thing just does not feel right. I don't know why, but it just seems insane,'" she told Fast Company.

"To work on something for two or three years and then just, 'Oh, here it is for free'. It's not about the money; it's about respect, you know? Respect for the craft and the amount of work you put into it," Björk went on to clarify.

She went on to share a possible solution to the problem via a way similar to Netflix.

"Maybe Netflix is a good model. You go first to the cinema and after a while it will come on Netflix. Maybe that's the way to go with streaming. It's first physical and then maybe you can stream it later," Björk shared.

Despite her acclaimed discography, Björk said that she only has five more albums in her before she dies.

"Right now I'm more busy getting out all the ideas I have inside me. I feel far from finished, and time is running out. What if I had to make 20 more albums? Given my pace, I'll probably make five at best before I die," she said to Dagens Nyheter.

Her new concert film, Cornucopia, is slated to hit Apple TV on Jan. 24.

Tags

Bjork, Spotify