Tool’s frontman, Maynard James Keenan, admits the band "made a mistake" by avoiding streaming platforms for so long. Tool only started streaming their music in 2019, sticking to physical formats until then. Their catalog’s digital release saw a big spike, with 2001’s Lateralus hitting the top spot on Apple Music's iTunes chart, beating out Billie Eilish and several soundtracks.
On the Allison Hagendorf Show, Keenan shared his frustration: “We missed 20 years of reaching two generations of people.” He said he had pushed for streaming years ago, but his bandmates weren’t convinced. While he prefers CDs and vinyl, he believes streaming is a crucial gateway for new listeners.
Keenan noted that Tool's absence from digital platforms left younger audiences in the dark, making their 2019 chart success surprising to many. “There’s an entire two generations that didn’t know who we were,” he said. His son’s law school peers, for instance, had no clue about Tool since their music wasn’t accessible on phones.
Slipknot’s Corey Taylor defended Tool’s delay in embracing streaming, citing unfair compensation for artists. He felt Tool’s move was strategically timed with their 2019 album Fear Inoculum and likely involved a better label deal to secure streaming profits.
Source: https://www.nme.com/news/music/tool...-embracing-streaming-platforms-sooner-3804396
On the Allison Hagendorf Show, Keenan shared his frustration: “We missed 20 years of reaching two generations of people.” He said he had pushed for streaming years ago, but his bandmates weren’t convinced. While he prefers CDs and vinyl, he believes streaming is a crucial gateway for new listeners.
Keenan noted that Tool's absence from digital platforms left younger audiences in the dark, making their 2019 chart success surprising to many. “There’s an entire two generations that didn’t know who we were,” he said. His son’s law school peers, for instance, had no clue about Tool since their music wasn’t accessible on phones.
Slipknot’s Corey Taylor defended Tool’s delay in embracing streaming, citing unfair compensation for artists. He felt Tool’s move was strategically timed with their 2019 album Fear Inoculum and likely involved a better label deal to secure streaming profits.
Source: https://www.nme.com/news/music/tool...-embracing-streaming-platforms-sooner-3804396