Maynard James Keenan, lead singer of Tool, recently expressed regret over the band’s long reluctance to make its music available on streaming platforms. For decades, Tool refused to keep up with digital developments, missing out on millions of fans and potential revenue. It wasn’t until 2019 that the band finally agreed to put their catalog online, a decision Keenan had long supported.
A late decision, but necessary
In an interview with Allison Hagendorf, former Global Head of Rock at Spotify, Keenan discussed this extended absence. Hagendorf had advocated for Tool to embrace streaming in order to reach younger audiences. Keenan, who had been supportive of the idea for several years, expressed his bitterness: “I think we missed the boat. It started with downloads 24 years ago. And when we finally put our catalog online, the downloads were already outdated. We missed 20 years of connection with two generations of people who could have understood what we do.”
The singer also spoke about the impact of this digital absence on the group’s recognition by younger generations: “My son just finished law school, and his classmates have no idea who we are. They were never exposed to our music because it wasn’t on their phone.”
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The immediate impact of streaming
When Tool’s catalog finally went live in August 2019, the impact was immediate. The group’s albums quickly climbed the Billboard charts. Classics like Anima et Lateralus rose to high positions on the Billboard 200 and Top Rock Albums charts. Nonetheless, Keenan remains aware that Tool lost a valuable opportunity to connect with new generations earlier. With a touch of irony, he underlined the surprise aroused by their return: “That’s why there was this big surprise when we knocked Taylor Swift off the charts for her second week. [Beaucoup de jeunes] didn’t know who we were.”
This prolonged absence, due to the band’s reluctance to embrace digital, effectively hindered the discovery of Tool by many young listeners, a fact that Keenan laments today: “Every year I said ‘we should do this’. And we made a mistake by not being present on these platforms for 20 years.”
New projects pending
During the same interview, Maynard James Keenan also discussed recent discussions about a new Tool music project, while indicating that no concrete production was yet in the works. He referred to comments from drummer Danny Carey, who had mentioned unused ideas from the sessions Fear Inoculum : “He talks a lot. But as long as he’s on tour [dans le cadre du Beat Tour] alongside musicians like Adrian Belew and Steve Vai, I can’t do what I have to do. He needs to come back so we can get to work.”
Although Tool’s prolonged absence from digital platforms was an obstacle to their recognition by younger audiences, their late arrival online caused massive excitement, attracting the attention of new generations of rock and metal fans. . Better late than never.
