Many musicians hate Spotify. Eddie Johnston has no time for all that
Mon Feb 02 2026
Eddie Johnston is first and foremost a huge music fan – he grew up loving New Zealand artists like The Mint Chicks and the Phoenix Foundation, and understood music in the paradigm of CDs and scenes. For many artists, even young musicians, those were the archetypal good old days, before social and streaming broke the model. But Johnston, who performs under the name Lontalius, has a clear-eyed and unsentimental response to the changing times, and tries to find ways to love making music even in the big tech era. He joins Duncan Greive ahead of his Laneway slot to explain how he learned to stop worrying and love the platforms, deep flaws and all.
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Eddie Johnston is first and foremost a huge music fan – he grew up loving New Zealand artists like The Mint Chicks and the Phoenix Foundation, and understood music in the paradigm of CDs and scenes. For many artists, even young musicians, those were the archetypal good old days, before social and streaming broke the model. But Johnston, who performs under the name Lontalius, has a clear-eyed and unsentimental response to the changing times, and tries to find ways to love making music even in the big tech era. He joins Duncan Greive ahead of his Laneway slot to explain how he learned to stop worrying and love the platforms, deep flaws and all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices