Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor Criticizes Streaming Platforms for “Mortally” Wounding Artists Not Named Drake

First breaking into the music back in the 1980s, Trent Reznor not only helped bring fame to the rock band Nine Inch Nails, but he also learned how the music industry worked. With the industry going through some massive changes over the last few years, many artists have criticized streaming platforms like Spotify for not paying artists enough for their music. With some singers deciding to leave streaming, Reznor recently added his voice to the conversation, insisting that streaming had “mortally wounded” performers. 

Speaking about the music industry in a new interview with GQ, Reznor held nothing back when it came to Apple Music and Spotify. “I think the terrible payout of streaming services has mortally wounded a whole tier of artists that make being an artist unsustainable.” While streaming works for some artists, the singer explained, “It’s great if you’re Drake, and it’s not great if you’re Grizzly Bear. And the reality is: Take a look around. We’ve had enough time for the whole ‘All the boats rise’ argument to see they don’t all rise. Those boats rise. These boats don’t. They can’t make money in any means. And I think that’s bad for art.”

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Trent Reznor Offers Solution To Streaming Problem

Not only wanting to criticize, Reznor discussed ways platforms like Apple Music could pay artists more given their revenue comes from more than just streaming. “Maybe at Apple there could be influence to pay in a more fair or significant way, because a lot of these services are just a rounding error compared to what comes in elsewhere, unlike Spotify where their whole business is that.” He added, “But that’s tied to a lot of other political things and label issues, and everyone’s trying to hold onto their little piece of the pie and it is what it is.”

While artists used music to channel their emotions and thoughts, hoping to connect with others, Reznor noted how the entire industry changed to not caring. “I also realize, I think that people just want to turn the faucet on and have music come in. They’re not really concerned about all the romantic s**t I thought mattered.”

(Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Knott’s Berry Farm)