In hope that we wouldn't be bored to death with 40 of the same sounding tracks.

 

If you listen to the current top 40 from beginning to end, I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference between any of them.

 

Fundamentally, surely at the end of the day. Giveaways, free 'stuff' shouldn't be counted?

 

I think the UK charts is one of the very few companies that 'celebrate' the giving away of art for free.

 

We're off subject now, so, hmm... yeah, as someone said, the charts in Q4 will be just as dull as recent years.

Most charts around the world count streaming plays from free (ad-funded) subscriptions.

Others (notably the US) even include airplay.

The UK chart would not look a whole lot different if only premium streams counted anyhow especially now that free streams are at such a low ratio.

Free streams still generate money, the ads pay for you, thats the rationale to include them

 

But anyway you got the ratios wrong

Think 80-90% of people are premium

...you've completely ignored what Bré was saying? If only paid streams counted, it's very likely that more urban songs would enter the chart, not less. Is that what you're wanting to happen?

 

How did I ignore what Bré said? Did you read my reply? just in case, here it is again.

 

"In hope that we wouldn't be bored to death with 40 of the same sounding tracks.

 

If you listen to the current top 40 from beginning to end, I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference between any of them."

 

How do you come to the conclusion that we'd see more urban in the charts if you took away free streams? Surely urban is more of a playground movement? I can't see any 20+ year olds listening to urban all day.

 

I personally think free is a dangerous thing to celebrate.

 

 

Apple Music is 100% paid streaming, tell me if you think this looks more 'balanced'. If there's any significant difference at all it's in favour of the music that you're presumably not a fan of.

 

I think you're definitely (massively) overestimating how much of Spotify's userbase only uses the free version as well. A Spotify subscription is not an unreasonably high price for that many people to refuse to pay it.

 

Here's the rest of my reply that you completely ignored. xx

Free streams still generate money, the ads pay for you, thats the rationale to include them

 

But anyway you got the ratios wrong

Think 80-90% of people are premium

 

But, the listening public don't see it that way, surely? Ads might generate money (not much) but it certainly doesn't generate love for an artist or song. That's the point I'm trying to make. Free means throw away. As I said before free shouldn't be celebrated.

 

With the ratios, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Spotify was definitely more free then paid for, but I could be wrong.

Here's the rest of my reply that you completely ignored. xx

 

Sorry, didn't see that.

 

Please see my reply above as to why I don't think free should be included. I don't see how anyone in the music industry would want to celebrate free, throw away music!.

 

I would be very happy to see Spotify do away with free streams. It cheapens the industry.

 

We'll never get respect until we start respecting our industry again.

Nearly half of all Spotify users have premium accounts and I suspect the more active streamers are those with premium.

Premium streams count for MUCH more per song than free streams do. Of course, this includes streams from Apple Music and other services that don't have a free platform, while Spotify's the only notable platform with a free option, but nevertheless Spotify has the largest market share anyway.

 

I don't think you can really opt not to count certain streams anyway - the artists still receive a fee from it (no matter how small), the adverts are how the free platform is funded, and premium streams count for a massive 6x more when there's already significantly more of them in the first place!

But, the listening public don't see it that way, surely? Ads might generate money (not much) but it certainly doesn't generate love for an artist or song. That's the point I'm trying to make. Free means throw away. As I said before free shouldn't be celebrated.

 

With the ratios, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Spotify was definitely more free then paid for, but I could be wrong.

 

it won't make much difference anyway.. All this streaming promoted the over-consuming in music as well... Even if they exclude the free streams it will be the same since you are not paying for a specific kind of music or artist, you pay the subscription and you listen to anything/everything that's put infront of you..

Nearly half of all Spotify users have premium accounts and I suspect the more active streamers are those with premium.

 

Is that data WW or just the UK?

But, the listening public don't see it that way, surely? Ads might generate money (not much) but it certainly doesn't generate love for an artist or song. That's the point I'm trying to make. Free means throw away. As I said before free shouldn't be celebrated.

 

With the ratios, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Spotify was definitely more free then paid for, but I could be wrong.

 

People don't decide to use paid vs. free streaming because they want to support the artists more or because they love music more, they do it because ads are annoying and it doesn't cost much to get rid of them. Not to mention that the free mobile version of Spotify is essentially completely useless junk. If people want to support artists they'll do so directly by buying their music / merchandise / concert tickets etc.

 

Sorry, didn't see that.

 

Please see my reply above as to why I don't think free should be included. I don't see how anyone in the music industry would want to celebrate free, throw away music!.

 

I would be very happy to see Spotify do away with free streams. It cheapens the industry.

 

We'll never get respect until we start respecting our industry again.

 

I'm not arguing whether or not free streaming should be included in the charts. That's a matter of opinion, and there's certainly an argument for it. I just don't see any evidence that removing free streaming would actually lead to any noticeable difference in the charts like your original post was asserting.

What about this for an idea

 

If you download the entire album on Spotify to your device, that should count double (or more) because you have effectively purchased the album. After all, in the old days, you might have bought a CD and played it once, or played it 100 times - still ocunts as one sale. Perhaps taking the space on your phone etc to put the album onto it could be added into the equation

My predictions:

 

Ed sheeran will release two new songs in November/December and be a contender for the Christmas number 1

 

Westlife will be get another number 1 album after an X Factor Performance and be one the best first week sales of the year behind Adele and Ed Sheeran of course

 

Lewis Capaldi will get another top 10 single with either a new song or one from this current album. Someone You Loved will go top 10 again after it appears on The X Factor or Strictly.

 

Gemma Collins to release a song and get to number 1 on Itunes but will fall back down the chart as quick as it went up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I download an album and listen to it offline do my streams still count?

People don't decide to use paid vs. free streaming because they want to support the artists more or because they love music more, they do it because ads are annoying and it doesn't cost much to get rid of them. Not to mention that the free mobile version of Spotify is essentially completely useless junk. If people want to support artists they'll do so directly by buying their music / merchandise / concert tickets etc.

I'm not arguing whether or not free streaming should be included in the charts. That's a matter of opinion, and there's certainly an argument for it. I just don't see any evidence that removing free streaming would actually lead to any noticeable difference in the charts like your original post was asserting.

 

What I would really LOVE to see is a complete change on how they count a play. I'm wondering if the technology is there for the likes of Spotify / Apple to know what songs you actually selected to play and not what was just played because it was next on a playlist?

 

IE. if you actually clicked on a song 1 play = 1 sale. One play due to it being next to a song you actually selected = 0 (or something like that).

 

Surely that would be a far better way to judge what was actually popular that week?

I think when you add a song or album to your library should count as one sale not how many times you play it. Adding it to your library is basically the same as purchasing a song or album.

People don't decide to use paid vs. free streaming because they want to support the artists more or because they love music more, they do it because ads are annoying and it doesn't cost much to get rid of them.

 

PS: I did lol, but maybe that's because I'm old and I have morals lol

 

I believe I had 2 reasons why I wanted to move to paid for streaming.

 

1) Music is worth paying for. (Even back in the early 00s, I refused to download stuff free of charge - always CDs or vinyl for me)

2) Sound. I'd pay more than £9.99 per month to get better kbps.

 

To be honest, ads never bothered me (Hence why I still watch ITV, C4, C5 etc)

I think when you add a song or album to your library should count as one sale not how many times you play it. Adding it to your library is basically the same as purchasing a song or album.

 

I could live with that :lol: :dance:

What I would really LOVE to see is a complete change on how they count a play. I'm wondering if the technology is there for the likes of Spotify / Apple to know what songs you actually selected to play and not what was just played because it was next on a playlist?

 

IE. if you actually clicked on a song 1 play = 1 sale. One play due to it being next to a song you actually selected = 0 (or something like that).

 

Surely that would be a far better way to judge what was actually popular that week?

But how do you know people aren't actively listening to the follow-up songs too? For example, my current Spotify playlist that I've made and update regularly, I'll press play on track 1 and often keep it playing after that if I'm in the car, or the bath, or whatever. I'm actively listening to these songs and enjoying them, but only the first song would count? I could also do this on a Spotify-curated playlist. Just because you don't specifically press play on a song, it doesn't mean you're not an active listener in the same way as the very first song you selected. Using this logic, only track 1 on an album would count...

Anne Marie will feature on 10 songs with varying successes