MONTY BENFICA | Amusements | CONTACT
A Spotify user with an exceptionally niche taste in copyright-violating remixes has expressed a longing for the simpler days of converting YouTube videos to MP3 files all within his phone.
David Alan (25), a self-proclaimed connoisseur of obscure hip hop remixes that skirt the boundaries of copyright law has long prided himself on his ability to unearth musical gems that reside in the depths of Youtube.
With the rise of streaming services over the past decade and Youtube’s crackdown on third-party MP3 converter apps, many music lovers like David have found themselves in between a rock and hard place; to give in and pay for youtube premium or go without such classics as Biggie feat Lana Del Rey.
“It’s a tragedy, man” lamented David, as he scrolled through Spotify’s catalog.
“Back in the day, all I had to do was fire up a YouTube-to-MP3 app and boom, instant access to a treasure trove of copyright-violating goodness with bearable sound quality.”
“Now I have to leave my phone open while a video plays, it’s terrible when I’m in control of the UE Boom and keep getting messages from mates who need an address”
David’s sentiment is shared by a growing number of music enthusiasts who pine for the wild west days of music streaming. For them, the rise of streaming platforms like Spotify has heralded an era of restricted access and sanitised playlists devoid of the gritty charm of unauthorized remixes that make his servo headphones crackle.
Until Spotify loosens its grip on copyright enforcement, David and his fellow aficionados will continue to live in a state of limbo, fighting the urge not to give money to youtube while also wondering if that Daft Punk x Snoop Dogg remix is still alive and well.
MORE TO COME.
