UPDATE: More Aussie Artists Tell Cory Bernardi Where To Stick His Conservative Hottest 100
ORIGINAL STORY: Powderfinger have asked Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi to remove their music from his controversial Hottest 100-style Australia Day countdown dubbed the ‘Australian Conservatives 100’.
Joining the likes of Savage Garden’s Darren Hayes and rap collective Hilltop Hoods — who have already called out Bernardi for including their music on his Australia Day playlist — Powderfinger have taken to Twitter to take Bernardi to task.
“Powderfinger do not support Australian Conservatives or Senator Corey [sic] Bernardi’s Australia Day Countdown,” say the band.
“Like fellow musicians Darren Hayes and Hilltop Hoods, we do not endorse our inclusion in Cory Bernardi’s playlist and would like our music removed.
“We are not trying to censor Cory Bernardi and his party, we are merely participating in a healthy debate that befits and strengthens our democracy.”
The ‘Australian Conservatives 100’ currently contains Powderfinger’s song ‘My Happiness’, as well as frontman Bernard Fanning’s ‘Wish You Well’.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Fanning says:
“Bernard Fanning does not endorse the inclusion of any of his music in the Australian Conservatives Hottest 100.
“It is clearly another puerile attempt to distract people from what is a serious question that needs rigorous debate. This, typically from Cory Bernardi and his 19th Century thinking, adds nothing to it. #politicalincorrectnessgonemad”
Meanwhile, Jimmy Barnes has also responded to the use of his song ‘Working Class Man’ and Cold Chisel’s songs ‘Khe Sanh’ and ‘Flame Trees’, with this:
Why would you listen to anything @corybernardi says, especially about music?
— Jimmy Barnes (@JimmyBarnes) January 18, 2018
Spotify, which is where Bernardi published his playlist, has also released the following statement:
“Spotify has actively supported marriage, gender, and indigenous equality initiatives over the last five years, and believes in a diverse and multicultural Australia.
“We want to make clear we do not endorse this playlist, nor do we have any official ties to the Australian Conservatives party nor any other political party.”
Speaking on the ABC‘s Radio National today, Bernardi said artists should actually be “thanking” him and his party for including their music on the ‘Australian Conservatives 100’, his reason being that it gives them the opportunity to earn more money from royalties.
“The simple answer is take your songs off the streaming service if you don’t want people to play them and support them,” Bernardi said.
Despite the playlist being named the ‘Australian Conservatives 100’, Bernardi denied the playlist is politically branded, and said the songs were not being appropriated for political purposes.
“So all of a sudden I’m not allowed to create a playlist on a music streaming service — for which I subscribe — because I might be politicising it? This is nonsensical,” he said.
“This is the type of intolerant censorship that we have warned about for such a long time. Suddenly artists are saying, ‘You’re not allowed to add my song to your playlist. You’re not allowed to play my music, say you enjoy my music, because I don’t agree with your political views.’ This is absurd. It’s outrageous.”
Bernardi did admit that he still enjoys Hilltop Hoods’ “boppy little songs” though, despite the fact that they’ve told him to “go fuck yourself”. Oh, and he also promised to make more playlists in the future, unfortunately.
Powderfinger do not support @AuConservatives or Sen @corybernardi 's Australia Day Countdown. Like fellow musicians @darrenhayes and @hilltophood, we do not endorse our inclusion in @corybernardi's playlist and would like our music removed. cont
— Powderfinger (@powderfinger_au) January 18, 2018
We are not trying to censor @corybernardi and his party, we are merely participating in a healthy debate that befits and strengthens our democracy. PF
— Powderfinger (@powderfinger_au) January 18, 2018
