"People literally use that for transportation" — Internet reacts to Olivia Rodrigo and Sony shutting down NYC subway to celebrate headphone collab

Last year in October, Sony announced a collaboration with Grammy-winning singer Olivia Rodrigo. The "LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo" was ultimately dropped on October 1, 2024. As per reports by Billboard, LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open earbuds were available in a wide range of colors.

At the time, Olivia also starred in a Sony ad that featured Obsessed, a track from her album, Guts.

What, however, caught netizens' attention lately was that Sony and Olivia allegedly blocked the New York City subway to celebrate the launch of the new line. They flooded the social media platforms, criticizing the singer and the company for taking such action.

Many claimed that shutting down a prominent transportation means might cause inconvenience to many who depend on it regularly. A user (@tooexclusive4uu) wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter:

"So like…not everything is about YOU. People literally use that for transportation holding them up for some headphones is weird."

Another user tweeted:

"Olivia just lost a lot of fans in New York."

"This is so cool but imagine you’re already late for something 😭," added a tweet.

"I have to get to work Olivia…" read another one.

While many users bashed the singer and Sony for this step, many seemingly liked the idea and expressed the same on social media. Many even defended the singer claiming that she possibly used the subway which wasn't operational. A user wrote:

"Olivia Rodrigo shutting down the subway for a headphone drop? That’s peak NYC energy… chaos, exclusivity, and a little pop-star magic all rolled into one."

"She didn’t stop the subway lol. She probably used one that’s not in service: it’s really not that serious," claimed another one.

"this shit is so cool. they went all out," commented another fan.

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Olivia Rodrigo had partnered with Sony twice now

Sony and Olivia Rodrigo released two headphones, LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open, this October. Both of these retailed for $200. Hiroshi Nakamura, Head of Personal Entertainment Business Unit, Sony Corporation spoke about the new line of products. Nakamura said:

"These headphones are meant to deliver a listening experience that is a personal extension of Olivia Rodrigo’s creative intent and unique sound."

Adweek reported that the meeting between Olivia and Sony happened in February 2023. The outlet further reported that the singer had tested several items over months and worked on the design and physical properties of the same.

Jordy Freed, director, head of brand, business development, partner marketing, and strategy at Sony, revealed that the singer had been very strict about what she wanted in the products. Freed further called Olivia a "creator." To promote the launch, Sony started a massive campaign.

Adweek reported that the campaign appeared on about 636 buses, 260 two-sheet posters, 570 branded trains, and two large wallscapes. Olivia further told Adweek that she found the customized headphones quite "cool." The singer further stated that she also kept sustainability in mind while finalizing the designs of the products.

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As for the current product line, fans seemed very excited, mostly because of the involvement of Olivia Rodrigo.