Ozzy Osbourne Calls Spotify ‘A F***ing Joke’

Ozzy Osbourne has joined the legion of rockers who have an issue with streaming music services, saying online platforms like Spotify are ripping off artists.

“Spotify is a f***ing joke,” Osbourne says, noting the streaming service pays artists a fraction of a cent for each spin. “The royalty aspect of making music has gone right down the toilet.”

But that’s not the only aspect of the music business that’s gone “down the toilet,” Osbourne says. The ability to perform live is no longer a factor in becoming famous, he notes. “It’s a completely different world now,” Osbourne says. “Before, you could do gigs and get spotted. Now, you buy a book on how to be a rock star, read it and go from there.”

Is the new way of paying artists resulting in inferior music?