Just as AC/DC and Dr. Dre embrace streaming, Prince has decided to scale back.
The singer has shown he is learning to embrace technology, releasing more of his music via YouTube and Soundcloud (although new tracks only stay for a short time), but he has decided to pull back in the area of streaming.
It doesn’t look like this is a permanent situation. According to sources who talked to Billboard, he is using the service Web Sheriff to contact all digital service around the world to remove his music but that it is most likely a first step in re-negotiating rights with each for the use of his music.
Spotify has taken action to at least inform their users of the situation, posting a note saying”Prince’s publisher has asked all streaming services to remove his catalog. We have cooperated with the request, and hope to bring his music back as soon as possible.”
The catalog is also gone from Rdio and the newly launched Apple Music.
Jay-Z’s Tidal is still streaming his catalog and, per Billboard, it remains on Pandora. It is assumed that the publishing company has successfully negotiated terms with those two entities.
If this is Prince’s intention and it is successful, it could mean an increased source of income for major artists as they, too, hold their music hostage for higher payouts. Unfortunately, smaller and independent artists will not have that choice and will be forced to take whatever paltry terms are thrown their way.
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