Spotify boss: 'Fans don't need CDs'

Tuesday, February 24 2009, 03:38 GMT

Digitalspy.com By Mayer Nissim

 

The chief executive of streaming music service Spotify has claimed that fans no longer care about physically owning music.

 

Founder Daniel Elk told The Times that the only thing new music lovers are concerned about is the availability of songs.

 

Elk said: "We think that music has gone from being about ownership to being about access.

 

"They don't care so much anymore about actually owning physical CDs, or even downloading, they care about being able to access whatever they want, whenever they want it, wherever they are."

 

Singer Jamie Cullum said: "Piracy is never a good thing, but for too long we've tried to stop it rather than recognise that it happens and then find a way to deal with it."

 

Spotify allows free streaming of music interrupted with a 15-second commercial every half-hour, or advert-free tunes for a £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

U2 recently started streaming their upcoming No Line On The Horizon album on Spotify as well as their own MySpace page.

 

Do you agree with the boss of Spotify's viewpoint or not?

I do, but I don't agree with what they're saying about downloads.

well of course he's gonna say that

No i don't agree I still love having a physical copy, and I'm yet to buy a download. and I doubt I ever will tbh

No, I don't agree with him. I like Spotify and I think it's an amazing service, but I like my iTunes and being able to put the songs on my iPod. Plus Spotify doesn't have a library, I like being able to see how many times I've played a song, when I last played it etc. which you just don't get from Spotify.

 

As for owning things physically I guess I agree on that bit. In 1999 I used to love buying cassettes every week but in the 00s I think I can probably count the amount of physical singles I've bought on my hands and I think Leona's rip-off Sport Relief single is the only one I've bought in the last five years. (only because I didn't think I'd be able to get the single mixes or "You Bring Me Down" elsewhere) As for albums, I've been buying a lot more of those recently, since Christmas 2007 I've got about 50 albums. (before that my last album purchase was in about 2000) That said, I'm not too fussed about having a physical album even if I can download it.

I very very disagree a true music fan still cares about VINYLS!

 

spotify = good but i would prefer to have all the cd's by faaaar.

As I'm not a fan of listening to music plugged into my ears via an IPod; etc.

I think Spotify will largely stop me legally downloading music; but will not stop me buying physical CD copies.

 

The one advantage it can give is by allowing me to listen to the album before buying; hence stopping me making dud casual purchases of CD's I then think are awful.

Omg now they're lying to brainwash people that "no one cares about physicals".

Er... dur.... I prefer to own the CD album.

Won't agree that much at the boss. :(

The fans will support what they want by buying CDs. ^_^

Edited February 24, 200916 yr by funmaker11

I love spotify for its instant of access of archive music, but i still prefer physical cds, mainly albums.

 

TBH unless its an album by an artist who I have collected all of their previous records then I don't care for buying any physical CDs anymore. There's only HMV in town to go to now and the prices are apalling so why not download from the internet? It's more convinient and quicker and cheaper and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

TBH unless its an album by an artist who I have collected all of their previous records then I don't care for buying any physical CDs anymore. There's only HMV in town to go to now and the prices are apalling so why not download from the internet? It's more convinient and quicker and cheaper and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

 

Why go to the actual store when you can order your CDs? Plus CDs are A LOT cheaper than they used to (esp. if you buy them online)

i 100% disagree with him, i much prefer the phyisical cd anyday to a download,i never down load albums,i do download songs and as the singles are so hard got but as in full albums i buy th ephyisical,i would also buy the cd single if it was available but where i live they are nearly impossible to get and they cost me a small fortune to buy online which i hate as i was always huge single buyer

I still love to have the physical product, the artwork, the sleeve notes, the smell of the freshly pressed CD or etched vinyl :P - Spotify is a brilliant service however.

Boss of download store in "Fans don't want CDs" claim..

 

A computer magazine I buy covers scare stories about viruses etc - most of them are about reports from companies which sell anti-virus software... similar idea!

I love having the physical copy in my hands :( Whether it be Single or Album... Its sucks that the future of physical single looks dark :(

Love love love CDs...downloads are only good before the CD is out or if there is NO CD...which is a big fat nono in itself for me :nono:

So basically that boss is talking sh!t, as no one seems to agree with him.

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!! I will not take a burned legal CD-R as valid in a collection!