Apple Music Blocked Browse Function To Boost Black Artists, And Right-Wing Dicks Were Pissed
One prominent conservative commentator even called it a "psy op".
Last Tuesday June 2nd, the music industry observed a “blackout”, posting black tiles on social media and disrupting the usual distribution of content in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Almost immediately, the blackout came under fire for being an example of the hollow posturing the music industry specialises in. Some labels and artists posted black tiles to the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, blocking out the useful information and resources that was previously being shared. And in many cases, it wasn’t clear whether these massive, multi-million dollar brands were actually donating money alongside awareness raising.
One company that took a slightly more drastic step — and admirably so — was Apple Music. Rather than just post a black tile, the streaming service suspended a range of its usual services. The browse feature was turned off, and instead, users were redirected to a Beats 1 radio, which on Tuesday was comprised solely of music made by black creators.
On Tuesday, June 2nd, Apple Music will observe Black Out Tuesday. We will use this day to reflect and plan actions to support Black artists, Black creators, and Black communities. #TheShowMustBePaused #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/xkvn31DpYc
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) June 2, 2020
It was a legitimately admirable move, rather than just some hollow virtue signalling, a real-world change that drew attention to sometimes under-appreciated black creators.
And ya know how you can tell it was genuinely effective? Cause it pissed off racists.
While most of Apple’s customers met the news with open arms, social media was awash with angry messages from supporters of Donald Trump and the so-called Blue Lives Matter movement (so-called on account of a lot of things, but mostly, how can criticising a profession ever be treated as an example of racism?)
Most of these big babies wasted their time begging Apple Music for a refund.
So are you going to refund for the day?
— de urn (@its_de_urn) June 2, 2020
@AppleMusic why did you feel the need to play NWA fuck the police for my 8 and 4 year old daughters when they opened up the music app? Are you insane? How do I get a refund on about $10k worth of Apple products?
— DJ Beyer (@beye0101) June 3, 2020
One conservative even went so far as to label the whole thing a ‘psy op’ (a ‘psychological operation’, for those not up with your lingo) because that’s what these conspiracy-laden folks love to do when the world doesn’t go their own way.
So Apple Music won’t let me listen to my own music (while I remain quarantined against my will) but is forcing me to listen to rap music about burning down American cities…
This is a psy op. pic.twitter.com/XdWvwA5NrE
— Faith Goldy (@FaithGoldy) June 2, 2020
Soon, Twitter users were collating hundreds of screenshots of such mewling from these whiny children.
Now be quiet. pic.twitter.com/UCBmwCyQdq
— no justice, no peace. (@Blay_Jay) June 2, 2020
Just goes to show — for all their talk about “liberal snowflakes”, conservatives and racists sure do love to cry foul when literally anything threatens to show the gaps in their worldview.