Free streaming music came under attack at last night’s Grammys, as Apple and Sonos aired a new Apple Music ad during the break.
Recording Academy President Neil Portnow and Common said that free tiers on streaming music services threaten the viability of music as a career, reports The Verge.
“Isn’t a song worth more than a penny?” Portnow asked the audience at the Staples Center, referring to the minuscule profits artists earn from ad-supported streaming. “Listen, we all love the convenience, and we support technologies like streaming, which connect us to that music. But we also have to make sure that artists grow up in a world where music is a viable career” …
Common went on to thank those who support music by taking out paid subscriptions to streaming music services.
Apple originally planned to pay musicians and labels nothing during the three-month free trial of Apple Music offered to new users, but did a u-turn after Taylor Swift publicly criticized the plan.
Apple partnered with Sonos on an Apple Music ad featured during the break with the tagline ‘Music makes it home.’ The ad – which stars Killer Mike, Matt Berninger, and St. Vincent – conveys the message that music makes for a happier home, and features the streaming service being played through Sonos speakers.
Sonos began a beta trial of Apple Music support back in December before the official launch last week.
