People: how the National and Bon Iver's streaming service frees musicians

Can the new, open-access audio ‘publishing platform’ attract more than just superfans of its indie-rock creators?

One thing Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National think you should know about their new streaming service is that they are not competing with Spotify, or Apple, or Tidal. “It’s artist-directed,” Aaron says. “It’s entirely non-commercial. It’s about the work.”

“It’s trying to deformalise some of the artifice and structure that goes into releasing music, and to get a little bit closer to the creative and collaborative process, and to the people,” Bryce says – and appropriately enough, the service is called People.

personal invites have arrived. find them around town, pick one up and give one to your neighbour. Or share or send us your adress and we mail you some. Let the music travel