A quiet shockwave rippled through the fanbase of The 1975 when a beloved song vanished. Without warning, “Human Too,” a track from their 2022 album *Being Funny in a Foreign Language*, disappeared from all streaming platforms. The removal wasn’t a glitch, or a licensing issue – it was a deliberate act by frontman Matty Healy himself.
The mystery unfolded on Reddit, where concerned fans questioned the song’s absence. Healy responded directly, revealing he simply didn’t like the track anymore and wanted the album to reflect his current artistic vision. He made the startling decision to retroactively edit his own work, a move that immediately ignited a furious debate.
But the story didn’t end there. Healy hinted at the possibility of another song, “What Should I Say” from their 2020 album, facing the same fate. He left fans on edge, suggesting further alterations could be coming, leaving a sense of uncertainty hanging over the band’s discography.
The reaction was swift and overwhelmingly negative. Fans expressed feelings of betrayal and confusion, lamenting the loss of a song that had become deeply personal. One fan pleaded with Healy, describing “What Should I Say” as “so important” and fearing its removal would be a devastating loss.
Beyond the immediate disappointment, a larger question emerged: who owns art once it’s released into the world? Fans argued that an album, once shared, becomes a collective experience, belonging to everyone who connects with it. Changing it after the fact felt like erasing a shared memory.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Throughout music history, artists have revisited and altered their work. J Cole famously removed a diss track from his catalog, deeming it “the lamest st” he’d ever done. The scandal surrounding Milli Vanilli, who were revealed to have lip-synced their entire album, led to its complete removal. Even Gnarls Barkley once pulled their hit “Crazy” from charts, hoping to preserve its legacy.
However, Healy’s move felt different to many. It wasn’t about correcting a mistake or addressing a scandal, but a purely aesthetic decision, made years after the album’s release. Fans questioned the precedent it set, fearing a future where artists could arbitrarily rewrite their own histories.
The debate continues to rage online, with fans grappling with the implications of Healy’s actions. Some see it as an act of artistic control, while others view it as a disregard for the emotional connection fans have with the music. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the complex relationship between artists and their audience, and the enduring power of music to shape personal memories.
While The 1975 continue to work on their next album, the echoes of “Human Too’s” disappearance linger. Healy’s mother, Denise Welch, has offered a glimpse of the new material, describing it as “very different” but still retaining the band’s signature sound. But for many fans, the focus remains on the songs that have already been released – and the unsettling possibility that they might not always be there.
