Over a decade ago, Radiohead’s frontman Thom Yorke famously yanked his solo projects from Spotify, calling the service “the last desperate fart of a dying corpse.” While he later returned, his prescient and visceral critique in 2013 laid the groundwork for the more widespread and organized rebellion that is unfolding today.
Yorke’s central complaint, shared with producer Nigel Godrich, was that new artists get “fucked over” by the platform’s economic model, which made it impossible for them to make a living. At the time, Spotify was still solidifying its dominance, and many saw this as the complaint of a wealthy, established artist who could afford to take a stand. However, he was articulating a frustration that would eventually be felt by an entire generation of musicians.
The “Death to Spotify” movement is, in many ways, the organized manifestation of Yorke’s early warning. The core issues he raised—the devaluation of music and the unfair distribution of revenue—are the same ones fueling today’s protests. The difference is that now, after a decade of living with the streaming model, the evidence is overwhelming, and the dissatisfaction is far more widespread.
Furthermore, Yorke’s critique hinted at the cultural impact of Spotify, framing it as a desperate attempt by the old music industry to control distribution in a new digital world. Today’s activists have expanded on this, arguing that Spotify’s algorithms and playlist culture are actively harming music discovery and creativity, a concern that was less apparent in the platform’s early days.
While Yorke’s boycott was a solitary act, it planted a flag for future resistance. His stark language and clear-eyed assessment of the platform’s flaws provided a reference point for the artists and activists who would later build a collective movement. The “dying corpse” may have taken a long time to decay, but Thom Yorke was one of the first to smell the rot.
A “Desperate Fart of a Dying Corpse”: How Thom Yorke’s 2013 Critique Foretold Today’s Revolt
