Is Garth Brooks FINALLY Making His Music Available To Stream?

Jewel Samad/AFP

Over the years, the way we listen to music has changed dramatically. From vinyl records, to CDs, to digital downloads, each generation has listened to music in a different way. 

Now, digital streaming could change the way we listen to music forever. Instead of downloading a file to listen to later, streaming allows you to listen to music and enjoy videos in real time. Many popular streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music now feature some of the greatest artists both past and present.

But one country artist you won’t hear on any streaming services at the moment…Garth Brooks.

In the past, Brooks has been vocal about his dislike of traditional music steaming services and digital platforms, mainly over concerns of how artists are treated and the music is presented. For example, he told Larry King in 2010 that the way iTunes works is by selling singles off of an album. Brooks only wanted to sell his albums in their entirety so fans were able to listen to all of his music, but iTunes wouldn’t budge.

When it comes to streaming services, Brooks simply hasn’t been happy with what’s out there on the market. So he decided to create his own streaming service in 2014, called GhostTunes.com, in order to provide his music to his fans through a digital format. 

“This is a site that treats music with the utmost respect, where our job everyday is to offer music the way the artists want to share it to the listeners who live for and love it,” Brooks told Digital Journal following the launch of the service. 

But now, Brooks is finally changing his tune when it comes to making his music available on major streaming services. On Thursday (July 7), Brooks announced the launch of his own SiriusXM radio channel, which will include live recordings, commentary from Brooks, and digitally remastered versions of his songs.

The station, which will launch on September 8, is Brooks’ first step toward potentially making his music available on major streaming services. Brooks spoke about this process during an interview with The Charlotte Observer, saying the decision to start with SiriusXM was a logical one.

“Sirius is the logical first step toward a streaming deal from one of the bigger companies if that’s going to happen,” he said.

In the meantime, fans have the chance to enjoy Brooks’ music live during one of his many World Tour dates. You can check out one of his performances in the clip below.

After all of this time, we’re excited to hear that Brooks’ music may finally be available to stream!