Morrissey has launched a rant against the BBC, claiming that the broadcaster is blacklisting his single Notre-Dame and insisting that its commitment to diversity "is a lie".
In a post on his website Morrissey Central, the singer-songwriter claimed the track had received "no airplay" despite it currently sitting at Number 6 in the UK singles chart.
He wrote: "The public wants to hear the song, but the BBC will not play it even though their stations are a public service duty-bound to reflect public taste. Obviously not! If the song is suspected of independent thought - God forbid! it is not played, therefore, under these circumstances, any station that pledges allegiance to diversity is lying."
The song in question, released in February, amplifies a conspiracy theory based around the 2019 Notre-Dame cathedral fire, suggesting that the incident was arson rather than an accident (no evidence of arson has been found, according to BBC reports). The track includes lyrics like: "Notre-Dame, we will not be silent / Before investigations / They said, 'There's nothing to see here'".
This conspiratorial tone is hardly a surprise given the singer's lurch toward the populist right in recent decades. For years, he has consistently flirted with controversial figures and espoused troubling views, including backing the far-right party For Britain on his website (Morrissey Central).
"When people say 'Diversity is our strength' they fail to mention how their notion of 'diversity' entails very strict Third Reich regulations and punishments," his recent statement on the song Notre-Dame continued. "I wonder why people can't simply be honest about these things?"
Morrissey's single peaking at Number 6 is largely down to physical sales following the recent release of a deluxe vinyl of the track. The Singles Sales Chart is based on the purchases of vinyl, CDs, and digital downloads, but when it comes to the Official Singles Chart, which also factors in streaming, Notre-Dame isn't even in the Top 100. Perhaps this is a sign of the former Smiths frontman's fading relevance.
