The Black Keys Begrudgingly Bring Their Music to Spotify

It’s been a minute since we last brought you news on local blues rock duo The Black Keys, who are currently taking a bit of a breather following the extensive tour cycle in support of their 2014 LP Turn Blue. While it’s unclear when we might expect to hear new music from duo, fans who only consume music through streaming now have a new chance to hear some old music from the group, as Turn Blue and 2011’s El Camino have arrived on Spotify for the first time. Though generally very comprehensive, it’s not uncommon for albums to disappear and return to Spotify from time to time, or to be withheld altogether whether due to another streaming platform’s exclusivity, or as a product of an artist’s anti-streaming stance. The Keys fall into the latter camp, going so far as to call streaming “selling out,” and expressing concerns over artists who accept equity stakes in streaming services without speaking out against its pay scale model. What ultimately prompted them to change their stance, however, is a desire to give more fans access to their music who might not hear it otherwise, even if them seemingly remain opposed to the business model.

In short, stream The Black Keys on Spotify for the convenience, but buy theirs (and any other artists you’re a big fan of’s) music if you want best to directly support them.

After five years of struggling with this we agreed to put the keys songs on Spotify. I’d rather people hear our music than not.

— Patrick Carney (@patrickcarney) December 19, 2016

No advance or money was exchanged. I’m still an advocate for artists to be paid fairly. I’m still apprehensive.

— Patrick Carney (@patrickcarney) December 19, 2016