Rapper Kanye West is releasing his new album exclusively on his own platform, the Stem Player, after criticizing streaming platforms for their treatment of artists.
Writing on Instagram, the artist said, “Donda 2 will only be available on my own platform, the Stem Player.
“Not on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or YouTube.
“Today, artists only get 12% of the money the industry makes. It’s time to free music from this oppressive system.”
The Stem Player is a small, portable device that allows users to split songs into “stems”, and is currently retailing online for £147 on its website.
Spotify problems
Spotify has recently been embroiled in a controversy, with many artists including Joni Mitchellremoving their songs from the platform due to concerns over COVID-related content.
Neil Young also deleted his tracks in protest at Spotify’s hosting of the Joe Rogan podcast, which is known for airing skeptical opinions about the COVID vaccine.
Other artists, like Gary Numanspoke about the economics of the streaming service, saying he earned £37 from one of his songs with one million streams.
Kanye West’s latest album will be released on February 22.
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