Steve Albini’s music returns to Spotify
Earlier this month, the iconic musician and producer Steve Albini sadly passed away. Albini was renowned for working with bands such as Pixies, Nirvana, and PJ Harvey. He was also in the bands Shellac and Big Black. The musical world came together to mourn the loss of Albini, who had an innovative approach to sound, an inclusive musical attitude, and a unique reputation.
When news of his passing broke, tributes rolled in from various people, representing his extensive reach throughout the music industry. One notable eulogy came courtesy of Primavera Sound, the Barcelona-based music festival, where Albini’s band Shellac had played more than any other act.
“We are gutted to learn about Steve Albini’s death at 61. We have lost a legend, a friend, a member of our family,” they wrote, “What are we going to do without you, Steve? After having welcomed them at 15 editions of the festival, it is impossible for us to imagine a Primavera Sound without him, because no band explains us better than Shellac. Our love goes out to his family and friends.”
Albini passed away before the release of his band Shellac’s new album, To All Trains. In a four-star review of the album, Far Out said of the LP: “An album sad at heart but filled to the brim with chaos, noise and silliness, there is arguably no better swansong to accompany the late Steve Albini. His style is typified by the record. To All Trains is a gift for the listener, acting as a piece of remembrance for a giant in the world of sound.”
Following the album’s release, Albini’s music from his bands Shellac and Big Black has returned to streaming giant Spotify, which comes as a surprise to many given Albini’s outspoken disdain for the app. He pulled the catalogue from both of his bands from the platform in 2022, saying, “Spotify is a terrible company, and I don’t want to be a part of their business.”
His views were nuanced on the subject, in an interview with Attack, Albini said that he doesn’t “fault the bands who have their music on Spotify by choice”. However, he continued, “It’s one of the few places outside of record stores where recorded music can earn anything at all, and for bands [with] more generous, honest relationships with independent labels not part of the ownership trust, then the payments from Spotify, though meagre per-play, can add up to a viable income stream. Nobody’s getting rich, but it could pay for the groceries.”
Albini’s music is still available in physical formats, too. He previously said that this was the best way to engage with a band’s music and pay them directly.
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