Spotify has removed conservative firebrand senator Cory Bernardi’s Australia Day playlist after complaints from artists Jimmy Barnes and Darren Hayes.
The Swedish music streaming service sent an email to the Australian Conservatives leader’s Adelaide office telling him to remove his playlist of 100 songs within five days.
‘We’ve received notice that your uploaded content has been reported as including inappropriate or offensive content and violates our Profile and Playlist Image Guidelines,’ the email said.
Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi has been ordered by Spotify to remove his playlist of 100 songs after complaints from artists including Jimmy Barnes
The Swedish music streaming group told Senator Bernardi his playlist content was reported as ‘inappropriate or offensive’
‘We’ve removed it from Spotify. If you believed you received this notice in error, please respond back to this email with an appeal within five days and we will look into the case.’
The notice from Spotify comes a day after former Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes joined Savage Garden and Powderfinger in demanding their songs be taken off the right-wing music countdown amid threats of legal action.
Senator Bernardi, a former Liberal Party member, has blasted his musical critics.
‘These artists are a bunch of narcissists telling an elected official what he can like,’ he told Sky News on Thursday.
The Australian Conservatives playlist was still available on Spotify on Friday morning
The conservative federal lawmaker on Wednesday unveiled his own Australia Day Spotify playlist, billed AC100, which also featured Midnight Oil, Jessica Mauboy, Yothu Yindi and INXS.
The politically charged jab was aimed at Triple J for changing the day of its annual Hottest 100 countdown after a majority of its ABC youth listeners said in an online poll they didn’t want the playlist to coincide with Australia Day on January 26.
It was still accessible on Spotify on Friday morning.
Jimmy Barnes joined Savage Garden and Powderfinger in demanding to be taken off Australian Conservatives music countdown
‘Why would you listen to anything Cory Bernardi says, especially about music?’ Jimmy Barnes stated on Twitter
A politically charged jab aimed at Triple J for changing the day of its annual Hottest 100 countdown has left people fuming online towards the Australian Conservatives (pictured)
Savage Garden lead singer Darren Hayes and Powderfinger demanded to be taken off Australian Conservatives music countdown amid threats of legal action
Not all of the artists he chose for the list are happy however with some calling out Bernardi on Twitter.
‘Why would you listen to anything Cory Bernardi says, especially about music?’ Jimmy Barnes stated on Twitter.
Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes posted ‘I do not want to be associated with you, your party or your views. Remove my music from this stunt or expect contact from my publisher.’
The senator however has hit back saying the music artists’ threats are of little bother to him, telling ABC radio the kickback was ‘outrageous’.
‘I want people to listen to great Australian music and I’ve made it easy for them to do so,’ he said.
‘[Artists] can beat it up and complain, they can threaten me with legal action … the simple answer is: take your songs off the streaming service if you don’t want people to play them and support them.’
The party took aim at the ‘tax payer funded’ station on Wednesday, announcing the release of its own version of an Australia Day playlist but artists included, such as Hilltop Hoods, were not amused
Powderfinger, who still have a Twitter account although they are no longer together, stated they ‘do not support’ Bernardi’s countdown
The band’s frontman Bernard Fanning said the playlist was: ‘…clearly another puerile attempt to distract people from what is a serious question that needs rigorous debate..’
Australian Conservatives Senator Cory Bernardi (pictured) created his own Australia Day Spotify playlist
However it has received backlash online with hundreds of people fuming towards the playlist
Hayes tagged a number of other musicians on the list, including Jimmy Barnes, Peter Garrett, INXS, Kylie Minogue, Paul Kelly and Bernard Fanning asking ‘Are you guys cool with the far right Australian Conservatives using our music to promote their agenda? Because I’m not. What say you?’
Senator Bernadi told Hayes to ‘get over yourself’ on Twitter, adding: ‘Music is for everyone.’
Powderfinger, who still have a Twitter account although they are no longer together, stated they ‘do not support’ Bernardi’s countdown and ‘do not endorse our inclusion 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 Brisbane band added.
The senator hit back saying the music artists’ threats are of little bother to him, telling ABC radio the kickback was ‘outrageous’
The band’s frontman Bernard Fanning said the playlist was: ‘…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.’
Adelaide rappers Hilltop Hoods frankly told Bernardi to ‘go f*** yourself.’
The party wrote on its website: ‘As taxpayer-funded Triple J and their ‘Hottest 100′ abandon our national day for political correctness, we’re inviting you to cast your vote by telling us your favorite three tracks from our #AC100 playlist.’
While Triple J announced they were cancelling their Australia Day Hottest 100 countdown out of respect to Aboriginals late last year, the senator included a number of aboriginal artists on his Spotify list.
Indigenous pop star Jessica Mauboy hit the list 76 and 87 with two tracks, Youthu Yindi, an Aboriginal folk group, came in at 31 with Djapana and Indigenous performer Christine Anu was listed at 30.
Olivia Newton-John, Choirboys, The Screaming Jets and John Farnham also made the list.
Darren Hayes from Savage Garden, who hit the list at 61, responded to the Australian Conservatives controversial list on Twitter (pictured)
‘Remove my music from your promotions. You do not have permission to use my music,’ Mr Hayes wrote online (pictured)
Hundreds of other people also took to social media to slam the senator for the choice of songs.
‘You made me snort out loud in public,’ one person wrote on Twitter.
‘Youthu Yindi… #missingthepoint,’ another wrote.
‘I’m guessing the #AC100 will be similar to when your old, racist uncle decides to take charge of the stereo at a BBQ,’ one wrote.
‘Honestly shocked that women and indigenous Australians actually already on this playlist,’ someone posted.
A Spotify spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia they actively supported diversity campaigns for gay marriage and indigenous rights.
‘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,’ the spokesperson said.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Senator Bernardi’s office for comment.
Triple J announced they were cancelling their Australia Day Hottest 100 countdown out of respect to Aboriginals late last year (stock image)