streamings impact: DESTRUCTION’s Schmier Calls Out Spotify’s Payouts
DESTRUCTION frontman Schmier recently took aim at Spotify’s royalty payouts, arguing that the streaming giant’s compensation model unfairly benefits corporations at the expense of artists. In a recent interview with the Brutally Delicious podcast,Schmier expressed his frustration,stating,”It’s a new world. A couple of years ago, everybody was, like, ‘Oh, streaming is bad.’ Now everybody’s streaming.”
A Familiar Struggle: Echoes of Napster
Drawing parallels to Metallica’s legal battle against Napster in 2000, Schmier lamented, “Lars [Ulrich, Metallica drummer] got slaughtered for something that was actually a good idea. And he failed to get the government involved to control this bullshit. And now we’re all suffering from it.”
Schmier clarified his stance, emphasizing, “At the end, I’m not against streaming.I’m just against the underpayment of streaming. and that’s the true fact that those CEOs and those companies make far too much money and the artist gets just pennies. And many artists get nothing, because he doesn’t pay out until a certain amount of money.”
A Troubling Trend: Stifling Creativity?
Schmier raised concerns about the impact of spotify’s payment structure on emerging artists, stating, “I think the problem is that young bands cannot afford to record anymore and to distribute their music. That means at one point, we’re gonna have AI music and no more young bands, as it’s easier. And that is a terrible dead end. So, we need to support real music, we need to support real art, and therefore it’s significant to go to concerts, to buy merchandise and support the bands.”
While acknowledging the convenience of streaming platforms, Schmier urged listeners to seek choice platforms like Bandcamp, stating, “There’s nothing evil about listening to Spotify — it’s a new tool. We have to use it. Sometimes people say, ‘Yeah, go to Bandcamp. It’s better paid,’ which is true.But not everybody’s using Bandcamp. And the Pandora’s box is open. We’ve just gotta see how we deal with it best.”
Spotify’s Response: A Complex Issue
Spotify has faced ongoing criticism regarding its royalty payouts,with some artists claiming unfair advantages for major-label artists. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek defended the platform’s compensation model in 2023,stating,”We don’t pay artists directly. artists have their deals with their record companies and their deals with their publishers, et cetera. And what Spotify does is we pay out to those record companies and these publishers, and don’t know what individual deals these artists may have.”
Spotify launched a website, Loud&Clear, in 2019 to shed light on royalty payments. According to Forbes, Spotify reports paying nearly 70% of its revenue generated from music as royalties to rights holders.
A call to Action: Supporting Real Music
Schmier’s outspoken criticism highlights the ongoing debate surrounding streaming’s impact on artists.While platforms like Spotify offer unparalleled accessibility,ensuring fair compensation remains crucial. Supporting artists by attending concerts,purchasing merchandise,and exploring alternative platforms like Bandcamp are vital steps in ensuring the future of music creation.
DESTRUCTION Unleashes new Era with “Birth of Malice”
Metal titans DESTRUCTION are readying to unleash their 16th studio album, “Birth of Malice,” arriving on March 7, 2025, via Napalm Records. Recorded at Switzerland’s acclaimed Little Creek Studio under the watchful eye of producer V.O. Pulver, the album is a testament to the band’s relentless energy and unwavering commitment to their signature thrash sound.
Guitarist Martin furia, who joined DESTRUCTION in 2021, took the helm on mixing and mastering duties, adding his distinct touch to the project. The result is a sonic assault destined to leave a lasting impact on the metal scene.Furia brings a wealth of experience to the table, having previously worked with bands like NERVOSA and EVIL INVADERS.
The album’s artwork, a visual masterpiece, was crafted by Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák, known for his iconic work with bands such as ACCEPT, KREATOR, and BLIND GUARDIAN. havancsák’s striking imagery perfectly captures the album’s dark and aggressive essence, promising a captivating visual experience to accompany the sonic onslaught.
DESTRUCTION’s reunion with their fellow “Teutonic Four” members – KREATOR, SODOM, and TANKARD – at the “Klash Of the Ruhrpott” concert in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on July 20, 2024, was a momentous occasion for fans. This legendary gathering solidified DESTRUCTION’s place as one of heavy metal’s most enduring and influential forces.
The band’s history is marked by both evolution and continuity. Prior to Furia’s arrival, Mike Sifringer was the longest-standing member, having been with DESTRUCTION since its inception. Sifringer’s departure in 2021 marked the end of an era,but DESTRUCTION’s commitment to delivering uncompromising thrash metal remains steadfast.
“We’re stoked to finally unleash ‘Birth of malice’ onto the world,” says Schmier. “It’s a raw, powerful statement of intent that showcases the band at its absolute best. Get ready to headbang your brains out!”
With “Birth of Malice,” DESTRUCTION proves once again their ability to push boundaries and deliver a relentless wave of thrash metal fury. The album is a must-have for any metalhead’s collection.
What solutions has Schmier proposed to address the issue of unfair streaming payouts from spotify?
Destruction’s Schmier on Spotify Payouts: “A New World of Underpayment”
DESTRUCTION guitarist and vocalist Schmier recently sat down with the brutally Delicious podcast to discuss the current state of the music industry, particularly the impact of streaming platforms like Spotify. Known for his outspoken nature, Schmier didn’t hold back when critiquing Spotify’s royalty payout structure, drawing parallels to Metallica’s legal battle with Napster. Archyde caught up with Schmier following the podcast to delve deeper into his perspective.
On a New Model of Exploitation
Archyde: Your comments on Spotify’s payouts raised eyebrows. Can you elaborate on what feels unfair about the current system?
Schmier: Look, it’s a new world. A couple of years ago, everybody was, like, “Oh, streaming is bad.” Now everybody’s streaming. Where’s the money going? It seems to be somewhere else, a giant company’s pocket, not the musician’s.
It’s frustrating. We put our heart and soul into our music. It’s a constant grind, and then you see musicians barely scraping by while these platforms rake in billions. It feels like a regressive thing, a way to exploit artists.It’s dangerous to allow one entity to corner the market in this way. Remember Metallica with Napster? Lars got slaughtered for trying to address the same issue. And now look at us: we’re stuck in a new kind of Napster situation where artists get pennies while the corporations get rich.”
Concerned for the Future of music Creation
Archyde: What concerns you most about Spotify’s impact on emerging artists?
Schmier: I think the biggest danger is that young bands can’t afford to record or even distribute their music anymore. They have to chase streaming numbers while wrapping their heads around low upfront payments.
It’s a vicious cycle. If this continues, we’re gonna end up with AI-generated music, because it will be cheaper, and that’s a terrible dead end se for real creativity.We need to support real people, real musicians, by attending concerts, buying merch, and exploring choice platforms like Bandcamp.
Calling for Action: Support Real Music
Archyde: What message do you have for fans facing this dilemma?
Schmier: There’s nothing evil about listening to Spotify, it’s a tool. But we need to be conscious consumers. We need to understand that these platforms are designed to benefit giant corporations, not the artists who create the music. Support autonomous artists,go to shows,buy merch,explore other platforms like Bandcamp.Send a message that you value real music, real human creativity.
“We need to be proactive.We can’t just stand by and let the system swallow us whole. We need to fight for our music, for our industry, for the future of art.”
DESTRUCTION’s new album, “Birth of Malice,” arrives March 7, 2025.
