• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechGoogle

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke Just Compared Google to Nazis

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 2, 2015, 2:19 PM ET
Latitude Festival - Day 3
SOUTHWOLD, ENGLAND - JULY 18: Thom Yorke performs on day 3 of Latitude Festival at Henham Park Estate on July 18, 2015 in Southwold, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)Photograph by Dave J Hogan — Getty Images

Radiohead’s frontman Thom Yorke recently had some pretty strong comments about tech giant Google, which owns Youtube (GOOG).

In an interview with Italy’s La Repubblica, the rock star likened the company to the Nazis when discussing tech companies and streaming services.

“I don’t have the solution to these problems. I only know that they’re making money with the work of loads of artists who don’t get any benefit from it,” Yorke said in the interview, as translated by Vulture. “People continue to say that this is an era where music is free, cinema is free. It’s not true.”

He added, “The creators of services make money—Google, YouTube. A huge amount of money, by trawling, like in the sea—they take everything there is. ‘Oh, sorry, was that yours? Now it’s ours. No, no, we’re joking—it’s still yours.'”

And then Yorke compared them to the Third Reich: “They’ve seized control of it—it’s like what the Nazis did during the second world war,” he said. “Actually, it’s like what everyone was doing during the war, even the English—stealing the art of other countries. What difference is there?”

This isn’t the first time Yorke has attacked music streaming services and other tech companies. Three years ago, he called Spotify the “last desperate fart of a dying corpse,” according to Vulture.

Fortune has reached out to YouTube and Yorke’s public relations team for a response. Google declined to comment.

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.