Actress, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter extraordinaire Joanna Newsom has created four albums in her time as a musician that have granted her status as one of the greatest artists of the 21st century. Since music sharing has largely shifted to become reliant on the streaming world, Newsom’s music has not been as easy to access and enjoy for fans and new listeners alike because she has been a long-time skeptic regarding streaming platforms. However, the stars have aligned and the day has finally come in which Newsom’s label Drag City has graced the world by adding her entire discography to Apple Music.
This is a significant advancement for Newsom considering that in the past she has called Spotify — a platform that is still yet to have her music available to stream — “a garbage system.” A few years back, she elaborated on her thoughts regarding streaming platforms stating that “It’s set up in a way that they can just rob their artists, and most of their artists have no way to fight it because they’re contractually obligated to stay with the label for x amount of time and you can’t really opt out.”
Back in May, independent label Drag City added Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s Best Troubadour and Bill MacKay’s Esker to Apple Music as the first music from their notoriously anti-streaming label to streaming services. With the most recent development of the addition of Newsom’s discography, perhaps we will be getting more Drag City material on streaming services soon. Bill Callahan fans will wait with baited breath
