Dr. Dre’s groundbreaking 1992 album The Chronic has returned to digital streaming services.
The legendary producer announced the news via a press release on Wednesday (February 1), revealing the project has been released through its original distributor, Interscope Records. Dre also thanked the label’s chairman, John Janick, and vice chairman, Steve Berman, for getting the album back to fans digitally.
AD LOADING...
“I am thrilled to bring The Chronic home to its original distribution partner, Interscope Records,” Dre said. “Working alongside my longtime colleagues, Steve Berman and John Janick, to re-release the album and make it available to fans all over the world is a full circle moment for me.”
In addition to being able to play the album on their preferred streaming platform, fans can also get their hands on new Chronic-inspired merchandise via Interscope’s online store. Shipping March 10, the collection includes hoodies, sweatshirts and T-shirts.
The Chronic was available to stream until last March when the album, along with a host of other classic Death Row Records releases, mysteriously disappeared from major platforms. Its removal came just weeks after Snoop Dogg became the new owner of the storied gangsta rap label, where he launched his career as an artist.
During an appearance on Drink Champs weeks later, Snoop explained he had pulled the albums from DSPs because he was planning to launch a Death Row streaming service where fans could exclusively hear the label’s catalog.
AD LOADING...
“First thing I did was snatch all the music off those platforms traditionally known to people, because those platforms don’t pay,” he said. “And those platforms get millions of millions of streams, and nobody gets paid other than the record labels.
“So what I wanted to do is snatch my music off, create a platform similar to Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. It’ll be a Death Row app, and the music, in the meantime, will live in the metaverse.”
A Death Row streaming platform has yet to materialize, but fans can rejoice now that The Chronic is widely available once again. Snoop’s Doggystyle remains missing from Spotify, Apple Music and TIDAL, though.
The news comes shortly after Dr. Dre closed two deals worth over $200 million to sell a share of his music income streams and other assets to Shamrock Holdings and Universal Music Group.
AD LOADING...
The assets, which net almost $10 million in annual income, included artist royalties from two of Dre’s solo albums and his share of N.W.A artist royalties; his producer royalties; and the songwriter’s share of his song catalog, where he doesn’t own publishing, which may have included tracks from The Chronic.
The sale also included Dre’s share of Kendrick Lamar’s releases through Aftermath’s joint deal with Interscope and Top Dawg Entertainment, and possibly some publishing, although it’s unclear which portion of his catalog that would include.
Stream The Chronic below:
