Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has sparked backlash from the creative community after claiming that creating “content” costs “close to zero.”

“Today, with the cost of creating content being close to zero, people can share an incredible amount of content,” Ek recently tweeted, drawing criticism for suggesting that creative works like music are merely “content.” Continuing, he wrote, “While much of what we see and hear quickly becomes obsolete, there are timeless ideas or even pieces of music that can remain relevant for decades or even centuries.”

From there, Ek mused about which ideas would have a “long shelf life” a la Stoicism. Ek would later clarify his point was “not to devalue the time, effort, or resources involved in creating meaningful works,” but to explore how “we can identify and ensure that the bold, exciting, world-changing ideas and pieces of art don’t get lost in the noise.” However, the damage was done.