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               Singer Neil Young Pulls Music From Streaming Sites

   by Reuters

   Singer-songwriter and musician Neil Young said on Wednesday he won't
   allow his music to be streamed any more, not because of disputes over
   royalties, but rather over poor sound quality.

   "I don't need my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the
   history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution," the
   Canadian rocker said in a post on his Facebook page.

   "I don't feel right allowing this to be sold to my fans. It's bad for
   my music," he said.

   Young, 69, was one of the biggest rock stars of the 1960s and 1970s
   with bands like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young,
   and a successful solo career that has included albums like "Harvest"
   and "Rust Never Sleeps."

   He has long complained about digital audio and, as a result, has
   developed Pono, a portable player that aims to lend a higher quality
   than streaming or MP3.

   Criticizes streaming quality

   Young said his decision is "not because of the money, although my share
   (like all other artists) was dramatically reduced by bad deals made
   without my consent."

   His criticism is a new blow to streaming services like Spotify, the
   target of criticism from artists who complain of meager payments for
   their work.

   Most notably, top-selling pop star Taylor Swift withdrew her catalogue
   from Spotify last November, saying the business had shrunk the number
   of paid album sales drastically.

   Last month, Swift agreed to put her latest hit album "1989" on Apple
   Music, days after Apple Inc. did an about-face, agreeing to pay artists
   during a free trial of its new streaming music service.

   Young also left the door open to returning to streaming. "When the
   quality is back, I'll give it another look. Never say never," he said.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/singer-neil-young-pulls-music-from-st
   eaming-sites/2863925.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/singer-neil-young-pulls-music-from-steaming-sites/2863925.html