Muse 'Upset' After Warner Vows To Stop Licensing Songs To Free Music Services

Muse have expressed their disappointment at their record label's plans to stop licensing songs to free music streaming services.

Warner records' CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr said earlier this month that such companies were “not positive for the industry”.

Instead, the record label, one of the four major labels, intends to focus on supporting subscription-based services.

Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme said the plans were disappointing, and could rob the band of a specific audience.

"It's like taking your song off the radio, isn't it?” he told BBC Newsbeat. “You're instantly taking your song away from a group of potential listeners."

Wolstenholme added that attempts to restrict fans' potential listening outlets were being driven by record labels, not bands.

He said labels were “clutching at straws” because of the impact the internet had had on record sales.

“It's coming from the corporations behind everything,” the bassist said.

"As far as bands are concerned you just want people to hear your music whichever way they can."

It is understood that Warner's plans will only affect future deals, and not its current ones with free music streaming services such as Spotify.

(by Jason Gregory)

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