In a recent interview with The Irish Times, Charlie Benante discussed Metallica’s controversial stance on Napster and the backlash they faced for suing the file-sharing service in the early 2000s.
The interviewer brought up Metallica’s lawsuit against Napster, asking if the band’s decision was justified, considering the criticism they received from fans. Benante defended the band, stating, “They were absolutely right about it. You see where it went. All those people who said, ‘f*ck Metallica, they are rich b*stards.’ They were protecting their art, their intellectual property so that some a**hole does not come along and take your art.”
Benante further explained, “They make the money while you just make the art and you just give it away. People don’t know anything about this. Until you have lived the way we live and do what we have done, then you can comment on it.”
In March 2018, Benante stirred up conversation when he criticized Apple’s impact on the music industry, suggesting that the Internet’s influence, combined with the greed of record companies and artists, had a negative effect on music’s economic structure.
“The record companies had a big hand in it because they got greedy,” he said. “The artists got greedy when they felt, ‘Oh, I can get a three-album deal for 75 million dollars,’ but at the end of the day, if they’re taking all that money, what happens to the lesser-known bands who are striving to become something?”
He also added, “Where does that money come from? I mean, it was just such a mess, and it really dug a hole for itself. And now who is paying for it? Everybody.”
In April 2018, Benante’s bandmate Scott Ian also discussed his changing view on Spotify. Initially critical of the platform in 2015 for not paying artists adequately, Ian later acknowledged its benefits.
By 2018, he called Spotify ‘a good tool’ for bands to reach new audiences. He shared, “And Spotify has actually worked out really well for us in the last few years — especially on the last record. Because we really embraced it on ‘For All Kings.’ And kids discover us on Spotify and then they go buy a ticket to come see us. And then they’re a fan for life once they see the band live.”
Back in the early 2000s, Metallica sued Napster over the unauthorized sharing of their music, which negatively impacted their sales. The case was settled out of court, with many users banned from the platform, causing a backlash from their fans.
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