It is with profound sadness that the MetaBrainz Board of Directors announces the unexpected passing of our Founder and Executive Director, Robert Kaye.
Robert’s vision and leadership shaped MetaBrainz and left a lasting mark on the music industry and open source movement. His contributions were significant and his loss is deeply felt across our global community.
The Board is actively overseeing a smooth leadership transition and has measures in place to ensure that MetaBrainz continues to operate without interruption. Further updates will be shared in due course.
🕯️🩷
So very sad, the world is a much dimmer place with your passing Rob… But we sure did blaze a lot of trails together, and your legacy will live on!
Rest in peace Robert 🕊️
You were truly one of a kind, and have thoroughly inspired all of us. This is unbelievably sad 💔
😢💔
This is devastating news. Rob was a huge inspiration to me. Sending love to his friends and family, and everyone who knew him.
Thank you Robert
😢 Rest in peace. You will be missed! 🕯️
Truly devastating news. Robert was brilliant and proofed how well public commons can work.
Wishing the team a smooth transition during this time and my heart goes out to family and friends.
I hardly knew Robert, but he was nevertheless a huge role model in how he ran Metabrainz which IME of several open-source projects is a unique genuinely altruistic open-source and crowd-source project that encouraged and harnessed the synergistic talents of thousands of contributors.
If only every open-source projects ran like this…
!!!!
Aw man. Rob was a special person. I’m so sad about this.
Devastating. I’d not seen Rob in close to a decade but he and his hair were never far from my thoughts.
I will miss him dearly.
Oh No! Rob! I’ll miss you!
Wishing you smooth passage to the Summer Country.
Rob was an inspiration to the many of us that are trying to make open source sustainable. He was a friend and mentor to me and I will miss him very much!
Very sad to hear this news. Rob’s vision and values were very formative to me. Well wishes to Rob’s friends and family and all the editors and contributors to MusicBrainz.
One time many years ago I was feeling pretty down and out and Rob sent me a few bucks to buy myself a pack of beer to cheer myself up and it was incredibly kind and I’ll never forget it.
Ciao Robert, sei stato una persona speciale, mi mancherai.
RIP Rob, loved our chats about chocolate and opensource.
It is with great sadness that I heard about the loss of Rob. I always enjoyed meeting him at open-source events – our conversations were truly inspiring. He will be remembered for his commitment and kind spirit. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends, and everyone who knew him. Wishing them strength during this incredibly difficult time.
My husband and I spent some days with Robert in Barcelona a few years ago and he was that same quirky, hilarious genius I remembered from the early days of O’Reilly conferences, when he used to cut and dye his hair to match each conference logo (so he could get in free). He also took me to my first Correfoc (the parade of monsters and sparks) when he lived a street away in the old quarter. He loved La Mercè. He loved Barcelona street food. He was uniquely Robert. RIP, old friend
That is so sad to hear. Rob was an example. Sending love to all his close ones.
One of the kindest and well-spirited people I had the honor to meet. Goodbye, Rob! You will be missed.
So sad to hear.
It was not so long ago we last met, casually, in Barcelona’s Born quarter.
Rob was very supportive of my father’s passing away and my divorce.
Unique person, beautiful soul,
You will be missed,
Pedro
Really going to miss him.
His short bio on social media was pretty accurate:
“An odd duck with a penchant for orderly ducks”
Very very sad to hear this. I hadn’t met him for a long time, but I remember every encounter as a special occasion. He was kind, smart, fun, capable, special on so many levels. Always an inspiration. My deep condolences to his family
I met Robert many times while working for the BBC and spent a great afternoon with him attempting to find a pub in Kensington that was unlikely yo throw us out. A lovely, one of a kind geezer. R.I.P.
Very sad news, even though I only know MusicBrainz and its community from a bit far, it always felt heartening to have some echos from all of you, in particular thanks to what Rob brought in. Wishing strenght and hapiness to all those who are close to him.
RIP mate, appreciate all you did for the opensource community from the really early days and helping theaudiodb. If you guys need any help or guidance, do let me know.
Thank you for everything, Robert.
Very sad to hear this. Attended many a Music Hack Day blessed with his presence. Thoughts with his family, friends, and all at the MetaBrainz foundation.
Rest in peace, Rob.
Such a huge loss — Ben and I first met Robert at OSCON in the mid aughts — he came to one of our talks and truly, deeply, got the interpersonal stuff we were talking about it, and that turned into a friendship, and that turned into an annual trip for him to Chicago in January for so many years.
He was, as Hunter S. Thompson said, “One of God’s own prototypes”
He will be missed.
Thank you for everything 💜
thakn you for everything
Such a Huge Loss 💔
Ben and I first met Robert at OSCON in the mid-2000s. He attended one of our talks and truly understood the interpersonal ideas we were sharing. That connection blossomed into a friendship that lasted for years — including his annual trips to Chicago every January, which became a cherished tradition.
He was, as Hunter S. Thompson said, “One of God’s own prototypes.” The world feels a little emptier without him.
My most sincere condolences.
Very sad to hear, he probably didn’t know but he is the first person I ever heard speaking about metadata and its importance in the music business. He inadvertently changed my life because I became enthrolled by the thought that metadata holds the key of the entire music business. I still feel this way, thank you Robert, and may you rest in peace.
Thank you Rob. People like you give the world hope.