This is a question I ask because I've constantly found myself glancing at the charts as they currently are and comparing them with 10 years ago when downloads were first counted into chart data. It took iTunes until the end of the 00s and for downloads generally to have a mass accessibility that saw sales explode on the scale they did in say 2008/9.

 

I dabbled with streaming a bit until the company I had a premium account with (Blinkbox) went under in the summer. I still have no desire whatsoever to own a premium account with Spotify or Deezer - I just have a free one on the former to make playlists for my blog when they're required. I realise the response to this question will probably be 'Duh, they've already exploded' but it just doesn't seem that way to me.

I rely heavily on Spotify (and now TIDAL) for streaming.

I find it crazy that people in general but specifically people on a music forum like this, don't utilise streaming more. I have a premium account with Spotify and haven't downloaded for quite a long time now. I just don't understand why people would choose to pay 99p to download a song when you can pay £10 a month and download unlimited songs?? In answer to your question I wouldn't say it's at its peak yet but it's not far off it now. Streaming is now having a massive effect on the top 40 and regularly causing songs that have top 20 sales to completely miss the top 40.

I find it crazy that people in general but specifically people on a music forum like this, don't utilise streaming more. I have a premium account with Spotify and haven't downloaded for quite a long time now. I just don't understand why people would choose to pay 99p to download a song when you can pay £10 a month and download unlimited songs?? In answer to your question I wouldn't say it's at its peak yet but it's not far off it now. Streaming is now having a massive effect on the top 40 and regularly causing songs that have top 20 sales to completely miss the top 40.

 

I guess there are some reasons. Firstly some artists don't put up their music on streaming services right away, some big ones at that (Adele, Coldplay and others). Secondly, to support artists we really like/enjoy (streaming doesn't make much revenue for most artists). Lastly, I prefer to own music as it means I can take it with me anywhere and anytime. I understand the same can be said with streaming services now, but if you had to cancel your subscription for some reason you'd lose all the songs you had to listen to. If you owned the music you'd still have it.

 

I do like streaming though as it means I'm able to explore new artists more easily and I do stream more now that it contributes to the chart.

I find it crazy that people in general but specifically people on a music forum like this, don't utilise streaming more. I have a premium account with Spotify and haven't downloaded for quite a long time now. I just don't understand why people would choose to pay 99p to download a song when you can pay £10 a month and download unlimited songs?? In answer to your question I wouldn't say it's at its peak yet but it's not far off it now. Streaming is now having a massive effect on the top 40 and regularly causing songs that have top 20 sales to completely miss the top 40.

 

If you've already got a big library of MP3s you don't need to pay £10 a month to have access to everything. I probably don't spend £10 a month on average because I download tracks I want illegally - just the odd track on iTunes I can't find. I buy a CD every few months when it's an artist I really like.

 

As for your average Joe, I think they're happier buying the odd Adele album or Now comp, as an occasional alternative to the radio. That's why I don't think sales will die completely. A lot of people don't want or need access to millions of songs, and certainly don't think it's worth paying £10 a month for it, because their perception of the value of music isn't that high.

 

Two other big reasons I don't, and probably won't ever, pay for a subscription is because a lot of the music I listen to is by international artists who aren't available to stream in the UK, or random forgotten songs from the 90s and 00s which aren't available - or if they are, they're not the right versions.

Edited December 5, 20159 yr by AcerBen

Yeah I suppose it depends on how much music you listen to but I constantly listen to music and would rather spend a few hours listening to music than watching TV so it's so worth it to me. I could easily spend over a tenner just on downloading a few of my favourite songs every few days before and I would never download illegally as I'm dead against it as a passionate pop music lover.

I certainly don't spend anything like £10/mth on music, and haven't since I was a teenager. I also don't illegally download, so it's not like I would be listening to the equivalent of £120 of music each year.

 

As someone who grew up in the era of vinyl/cassette/CD's, the idea of not owning a copy of the music I like is alien to me anyway.

The only reason COldplay's album is not on Spotify is that it's available exclusively on Tidal. They're not against streaming.

I certainly don't spend anything like £10/mth on music, and haven't since I was a teenager. I also don't illegally download, so it's not like I would be listening to the equivalent of £120 of music each year.

 

As someone who grew up in the era of vinyl/cassette/CD's, the idea of not owning a copy of the music I like is alien to me anyway.

 

I'm 32 and very much remember vinyls, cassettes and cd's and would NEVER return to old days when you could only listen to the records you have bought or radio.

The only reason COldplay's album is not on Spotify is that it's available exclusively on Tidal. They're not against streaming.

I stream it from Apple Music without any problem!

Oh, I read otherwise, never mind. Maybe it's just US then.

We have already seen how little of the market Tidal, Deezer, Apple Music and other streaming services have when compared to Spotify when on 10th July the chart had zero contribution from Spotify and streaming 'sales' in the market dropped from 5 million to around 500 K.

Spotify doing an offer, 3 months premium for only 99p! Bargain!

 

https://www.spotify.com/uk/purchase/panel/?...nded-creditcard

I'd say the streaming peak is not too far off, more and more people I know have started to use streaming services this year, including myself. I'd say about 80% of my music consumption now is through streaming, compared to maybe 10% this time last year. Like AcerBen says though, I do find it annoying that a lot of lesser known songs or forgotten gems aren't available on streaming. It would be nice if, say, at least every UK Top 75 single from the last 30 years was available to stream :)

Edited December 6, 20159 yr by Mangle Bells

Spotify doing an offer, 3 months premium for only 99p! Bargain!

 

https://www.spotify.com/uk/purchase/panel/?...nded-creditcard

it seems that just like when they did something similar last year, they're only offering it to new customers and not rewarding their existing paying userbase -_-

We have already seen how little of the market Tidal, Deezer, Apple Music and other streaming services have when compared to Spotify when on 10th July the chart had zero contribution from Spotify and streaming 'sales' in the market dropped from 5 million to around 500 K.

Being fair, Apple Music was on its second week back then. It probably has a bigger market share now, although I'm sticking with Spotify.

 

And regarding Coldplay, they are against free streaming on the first few weeks. They made it available to premium streaming services but not Spotify because they denied their request to make it available only for Premium users.

Edited December 7, 20159 yr by André

Streaming is popular because it's cheap or free. But experience of music and life in general shows that doesn't last.

 

Of course when you have to start paying for it then it's not that economical to stream. I don't see people rushing out to rent houses, when they prefer to buy them. Streaming is no different to that. You are simply renting music from streaming sites. OK by the record companies of course.

 

My worry is with streaming is that it will turn into what happened with iTunes, everyone buys from there and no competition. It seems to be happening even now with Spotify, so it can only get worse.

Yeah, it'd be nice if Spotify gave loyal customers three months at 99p but it's still a great deal. I stream stuff all day long and definitely get my money's worth out of a tenner. When I was a kid you had to either buy a record, tape or (if you were feeling flush) a CD to even hear something. That or go to the library.

 

MP3s are practically dead now for me apart from for ye olde stuff by bands who aren't really around to get them on to Spotify (e.g. I looked for both Birdland and The Family Cat this morning but couldn't find either - found The Popguns, Cud, Galaxie 500 and a load of others though).

 

I'm just very happy that there's a reasonably fair system out there which lets you pay for instant access to music now. There wasn't back when Napster started, and it was just too tempting to use it.

 

I still buy records directly from bands at gigs, that way I feel I'm giving them some real money right into their hands (also having paid to attend the gig).

 

As for big acts giving exclusives to certain streaming services only - screw them. Their music sucks anyway.