Why Is Eddy Grant Electric Avenue Not on Spotify?

Eddy Grant’s iconic single “Electric Avenue” has been a staple of pop culture since its release in 1982, and it remains an enduring favorite today. Despite its popularity, however, the song is conspicuously missing from Spotify, one of the most popular streaming services available.

What is the reason behind this?

The answer lies in copyright law. In order to stream a song on Spotify, the artist or their label needs to have a license that allows them to do so. This can be difficult to obtain for older songs like “Electric Avenue”, as the music and publishing rights are often split between multiple parties.

Additionally, Eddy Grant has been embroiled in a long-running legal battle with his former record label over unpaid royalties and other matters. This has meant that he has not been able to secure the necessary licenses for his songs to be streamed on Spotify.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that Eddy Grant does not own all of the rights to “Electric Avenue”; he only holds partial publishing rights due to his collaboration with co-writer Victor Carstarphen. As such, any streaming license would need to be obtained from both Grant and Carstarphen before “Electric Avenue” can appear on Spotify.

Conclusion:

While it may seem strange that Eddy Grant’s classic hit “Electric Avenue” is not available on Spotify, it really comes down to complex copyright law and a long-running legal dispute between Grant and his former record label over royalties. The song requires a license from both Grant and co-writer Victor Carstarphen before it can be streamed on Spotify, making it unlikely that we will see “Electric Avenue” on the service anytime soon.