Bob Dylan removes works from UK streaming services
We all know Bob Dylan isn’t shy about sharing his disdain for all things digital-music related
, but this week his wrath has been specifically aimed at streaming services. Over the past few days his back catalogue has been pulled from sites like we7 and Spotify, as Dylan takes issue with those who are sharing his music with their users. An instruction was issued by his US reps, through Sony, asking sites to prove they have the right to put the material up.
So far no one from Sony has responded to our requests for comment; presumably everyone at Columbia is busy sifting through years of licensing agreements and contractual binding looking for a solution to this latest outburst.
Clive Gardiner, we7’s digital music SVP, said: “We took it off the site a few days ago. Spotify would have had the same instruction. But it may be a short listing and it may come back again.
“There are some artists that will take umbrage at this from time to time. We expect this sort of thing, especially with streaming, and it not being fully understood where it sits yet. “
The only Dylan albums Spotify is carrying at the moment are Bob Dylan 60s Live, A 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration and a Tribute compilation, leaving out the 30-plus longplayers he’s wracked up since his first release in 1962.
Dylan is not the first artist to question the rights of streaming services, with Bryan Adams issuing a similar request through Web Sheriff a few months back. Eventually the situation was ironed out, and Adams’ catalogue reappeared.
August 15th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
What a cunt.
August 17th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
WEB SHERIFF
Protecting Your Rights on the Internet
websheriff.com
Hi Music Ally,
Thanks for your interesting post / article about Spotify etc … .. just dropping-by to clarify one point in particular … .. whilst the theory of it (ie. Spotify and the like) is great, the current business model doesn’t really stack-up for many artists … .. and, whilst it may do at some point-in-time in the future, surely any artist – from aspiring band to megastar – is entitled to decide for themselves as to whether (or not) they want to be the lab-rats in this experiment ?? … .. some will be cool with it and, of course, that’s fine – as it’s totally their prerogative – and others won’t be … .. and surely we should, just as equally, respect their wishes either way as, after all, it is their music.
Anyway, just wanted to add our Nickel’s worth to provide a (perhaps) different perspective.
Best (to All),
WEB SHERIFF
August 18th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
[...] Gardiner, we7’s digital music SVP, said: “We took it off the site a few days ago. Spotify would have had the same instruction. But it [...]
August 20th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
[...] isn’t immune from artist concerns either. Witness Bob Dylan ordering his songs to be removed from both we7 and Spotify this [...]
August 20th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Bob Dylan forgot that all his talents, the words and notes he uses in his songs, have been created by God first, and I am His copyright agent. Don’t make me want to silence Bob Dylan.
August 25th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
[...] Dylan might not be a fan of streaming music, but he appears to be into his GPS. BBC News Online is reporting that he’s in talks with [...]