Four Tet says his former label, Domino Records, has removed three of his early albums from streaming platforms amidst on ongoing legal dispute initiated by the U.K. producer this past summer.
2003’s Rounds, 2005’s Everything’s Ecstatic and 2010’s There Is Love In You are not currently available on streaming and digital sales platforms including Spotify and Apple Music. (The expanded version of There Is Love In You remains available.) The six Four Tet albums and released since 2012 (starting with that year’s Pink) have been issued by the producer’s own Text Records.
The artist born Kieran Hebden said in a tweet Sunday that the situation is “heartbreaking to me. People are reaching out asking why they can’t stream the music and I’m sad to have to say that it’s out of my control.”
This past August, it was announced that Hebden was taking legal action against Domino Records over the royalty rate Domino pays him for streaming and digital downloads.
An August article from Music Week notes that “Four Tet is claiming a royalty rate of 50%, while Domino is defending its decision to apply a rate of 18% to streams and downloads based on the contract relating to sales of records.” The article continues that Four Tet is seeking damages of £70,000 (approximately $94,000) “plus costs over the claim for historical streaming and download royalties, as well as a legal judgement on the 50% rate.”
The case was due to be heard in court this January 18, 2022 although according to Hebden, the takedown is a preventative measure by Domino against this hearing from happening.
“Earlier this week Domino’s legal representative said they would remove my music from all digital services in order to stop the case progressing,” Hebden’s tweets continued. “I did not agree to them taking this action and I’m truly shocked that it has come to this.”
“I signed with Domino over 20 years ago, in a different time before streaming and downloads were something we thought about,” he writes. “I believe there is an issue within the music industry on how the money is being shared out in the streaming era and I think it’s time for artists to be able to ask for a fairer deal.” See Hebden’s complete statement below.
Hebden declined to comment further and Domino Records did not respond to a request for comment.
I’m so upset to see that @Dominorecordco have removed the 3 albums of mine they own from digital and streaming services. This is heartbreaking to me. People are reaching out asking why they can’t stream the music and I’m sad to have to say that it’s out of my control.
— Four Tet (@FourTet) November 21, 2021
