Lars Ulrich | SmartLess 

Truth🙏

That moronic writers strike. I guess being millionaire writers just ISNT enough…

He helped spin things in a way we're still suffering from. People still say "musicians can't get paid because everyone thinks music is free." And yet Spotify is doing great, just like the record execs were in the Napster days. But, no, the fans are the problem... Thanks, Lars.

@@tom.m SPOTIFY is doing great. The vast majority of artists that provide them with music, on the other hand, are not. Even the ones that do get paid are getting a pittance compared to what an artist could make from recorded music in the 90s. Of course: Lars/Metallica and all of the huge megastars are still doing fine (it's one of many reasons that concert tickets are so expensive now). But your average artist is definitely NOT. The fact that Lars (and the myriad of other artists who spoke out about it at the time) were right all along really isn't up for debate.

@@ExileOnDaytonStreet That was my whole point with Spotify... People not paying to listen isn't the problem. Spotify not paying artists is, just like labels were back then. Lars targeted the wrong people because Metallica was getting the star treatment at the expense of smaller artists. Fans, the only reason anyone knows who Lars is, were a scapegoat for the industry's bad behavior. But sure, blame the fans for Spotify's shitty behavior too. It worked out so well last time when Lars did it... As you say, things have only gotten worse for artists.

@@tom.m Who's blaming the fans? Napster was the one that got shut down. Spotify probably should get shut down, too.

@@ExileOnDaytonStreet You said Lars was right. He wasn't. Fans were not and are not the problem. Shutting down Napster fixed nothing, only gave places like Clear Channel more power. He was used to shift blame, and people still aren't placing blame where it belongs to this day.

Why?

​@@susangriffin4 he wanted to build a gold plated pool in his backyard, but because of illegal music downloads he had to wait a few months before he could build a gold plated pool in his backyard. The incident distressed him so much that he sued Napster.

@@dominicdococo4574 well, he is a cry baby then🥲😂

Napster BAAAAD!! Money GOOOOOOD!!

And look what happened to bands and how they are now completely screwed out of their money….I don’t particularly care for Lars as a drummer, but he was dead right about what was coming because of things like Napster. Music piracy led to iTunes and Spotify, where they charge anywhere from $.99 to $1.29 per download, and ESTABLISHED BANDS like Metallica and the sort make an average of $.09 per download. Now imagine being a new, very talented band that writes great music.That band has 2 million downloads in a year. A four member band would then get to split $180,000 BEFORE taxes. That’s $45,000. Before taxes. And THAT is what Napster started. Lars was completely correct. And now it’s too late. There are great bands that will never make great music because they make more money driving a friggin Uber.

He mentioned James….. and only briefly and in passing.

@@UselessShyte ❤️

He was right all along, FWIW

For all his faults, Lars saw exactly what was coming. And now it’s here. No band makes money on album sales. They make PENNIES per download on iTunes and Spotify. Lars was absolutely correct to go after them guns blazing.

It really whips the llama's ass.

Oh he deserves it but still love him

He killed Napster... is he really *unjustly* ridiculed?

@@GR_BackingTracks thanks for proving my point. A) he didn't. B) that comment is one of only several things he gets criticized for.

@@theJohnGaltLine If anything, looking at how little artists get paid for streaming... it kind of proves how right Lars (and all the other artists who spoke out against Napster) was.

@@ExileOnDaytonStreet agreed that what he did was important and correct, but he still gets criticized for "killing" Napster which he did not do

Exactly, when you mention that band as something “good” that’s all one needs to really know.

I dare say unless asked directly, Metallica will remain silent about that shit smear on their record.

OMG the way they leaned in on that one