Social media reacts to Spotify CEO wanting to buy Arsenal FC: “Pay the artists first”

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has expressed an interest in buying Arsenal FC if it was ever to go up for sale.

It comes after thousands of angry fans amassed outside the club’s Emirates Stadium prior to its game against Everton on Friday (April 23) to protest its current owner, American billionaire Stan Kroenke.

Arsenal were one of six Premier League clubs that initially agreed to join a newly constructed European Super League, a breakaway competition designed at rivalling the Champions League. The controversial move was met with widespread criticism and protest from fans up and down the country. The club has since pulled out of the league.

Following the protests, Ek, who is reported to be worth in the region of $4.7billion, said he would be interested in buying the club if it ended up on the market.

“As a kid growing up, I’ve cheered for @Arsenal as long as I can remember,” he wrote. “If KSE would like to sell Arsenal I’d be happy to throw my hat in the ring.”

Many have taken to social media to respond to Ek’s tweet, including Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, who wrote: “Could we ask that you get things sorted out with musicians before jumping in with footballers??”

Continuing along the same lines as Burgess’ tweet, many users alluded to the criticism Spotify has faced in recent years that it doesn’t compensate artists enough for their work, even joking that Arsenal players wouldn’t accept being paid “0.000007p”.

“Nah fuck Spotify. Pay the artists first, then consider buying Arsenal,” one user said, while another wrote: “If the Spotify CEO buys Arsenal does that mean the players don’t get paid anymore?”

A third wrote: “Don’t think they’d accept 0.000007p mate.”

Others looked at the bright side of Ek taking over ownership of Arsenal. Journalist Constantin Eckner tweeted: “Arsenal fans getting Spotify Premium for free!”

One fan said they would cancel their Apple Music subscription in favour of Spotify if Ek became owner in order to help fund transfers.

“The moment you buy Arsenal, I’m definitely canceling my Apple Music subscription and getting a Spotify one,” they wrote. “That way I know that my money is going to help sign Haaland and Mbapp.”

See more reactions to Ek’s interest in taking over Arsenal below:

Meanwhile, Apple Music has sent a letter to artists and labels saying that it now pays double what Spotify does per stream on average.

According to figures from last year, in the US Spotify paid $0.00437 per stream on average while Apple Music paid $0.00735 on average.

In the letter, which was sent to labels and publishers and posted on the platform’s artist dashboard, Apple Music said it now pays one cent per stream on average. However, it adds that rates vary according to subscription plans and the country listeners are streaming in.

Last year, musicians told MPs that streaming payments are “threatening the future of music” at the first evidence session for the economics of music streaming inquiry.

Speaking ahead of the inquiry, Department of Culture, Media And Sport Committee Chair Julian Knight MP said: “While streaming is a growing and important part of the music industry contributing billions to global wealth, its success cannot come at the expense of talented and lesser-known artists.

“We’re asking whether the business models used by major streaming platforms are fair to the writers and performers who provide the material. Longer-term we’re looking at whether the economics of streaming could in future limit the range of artists and music that we’re all able to enjoy today.”

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