I note from social media that it’s quite the thing to complain bitterly about the U2/Apple publicity stunt of foisting their new album upon iTunes subscribers. People didn’t want it, they didn’t ask for it, they are only dimly aware of the concept of “deleting” things. It’s easy to mock, so I shall.
But this kerfuffle has worrying implications. This is the mediated internet writ large. It’s only a short conceptual leap from this to Apple deciding everything you listen to.
Now, it is easy to argue that this is what music labels have always done. Some bands have had careers sat on, been ignored, had albums shelved, the corporations have decided what will be released, what you’ll hear, and against all this the indie (as in independent, not purely as in jangly guitars) subculture has railed.
When the internet became a thing, a fact of everyone’s lives, it looked as though the playing field had been levelled. Fans and artists could interact directly, artists could showcase their music directly, sell it directly even (though not that much because with the dawn of the golden age of the internet everyone realised they were a tightarse and didn’t want to actually pay for stuff). The majors reeled, it was all a bit giddy.
Now, at a stroke, with this injection of honking Bono, the powers that be are flexing their muscles again, proving that they can decide what you listen to, at will. And unfortunately, they’re U2 fans. Be very afraid.
But this kerfuffle has worrying implications. This is the mediated internet writ large. It’s only a short conceptual leap from this to Apple deciding everything you listen to.
Now, it is easy to argue that this is what music labels have always done. Some bands have had careers sat on, been ignored, had albums shelved, the corporations have decided what will be released, what you’ll hear, and against all this the indie (as in independent, not purely as in jangly guitars) subculture has railed.
When the internet became a thing, a fact of everyone’s lives, it looked as though the playing field had been levelled. Fans and artists could interact directly, artists could showcase their music directly, sell it directly even (though not that much because with the dawn of the golden age of the internet everyone realised they were a tightarse and didn’t want to actually pay for stuff). The majors reeled, it was all a bit giddy.
Now, at a stroke, with this injection of honking Bono, the powers that be are flexing their muscles again, proving that they can decide what you listen to, at will. And unfortunately, they’re U2 fans. Be very afraid.
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