Another “gotcha” from the streaming revolution.

[MarkOne]

I discovered another way the music business hasn’t really thought through the whole streaming thing.

We have (had?)* 300+ CDs at least 20% of which are too old or not sufficiently mainstream to be on the streaming platforms.

I was pleased to find that Apple Music, at least would add CDs you rip to your iTunes library to your Apple Music library.

I upgraded Apple Music to the family subscription so my wife and I can share our libraries. But no. Things I’ve ripped are only in my library, because I was the one who bought the CD.

When we had a wall lined with physical media, it was available to anyone in the room. Now it’s virtual, if I’m out only a subset is on offer.

Now looking at setting up a plex server on a Synology NAS to install a music library we both can access as we wish.

Progress? Bah!

* J say ‘had’ because though we still own the physical media, it’s in a storage unit in town. So not immediately on hand

[Philbo King]

The good news: No music streaming company has ever produced a profit so far.
So their days are numbered.

[Johnsy]

The good news: No music streaming company has ever produced a profit so far.

Because of all the money they're paying to those greedy musicians and composers, I expect!

[Drew Stephenson]

Thought experiment time then, if the days of the streaming services are indeed numbered (FWIW I don't think they are) then what do we think would happen if they disappear?

[Hugh Robjohns]

The good news: No music streaming company has ever produced a profit so far.
So their days are numbered.

A lot of companies don't make a 'profit' .... but their owners still live luxurious lives without going out of business!

I don't see the major streamers disappearing any time soon.

[OneWorld]

The good news: No music streaming company has ever produced a profit so far.
So their days are numbered.

A lot of companies don't make a 'profit' .... but their owners still live luxurious lives without going out of business!

I don't see the major streamers disappearing any time soon.

Yes the ocean going yacht and private jet are legitimate business expenses as they need to flit between London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tahiti to audition the latest batch of cuties in some lush 5 star hotel.

Mind you I was just as bad, having to fill a band's van with petrol so they could get home because on the door they hadn't taken enough money to to buy themselves a takeaway frm the swanky Indian restaurant, so I bought them a chip supper and a crate of beer - all on expenses!

[Drew Stephenson]

...so I bought them a chip supper and a crate of beer - all on expenses!

The lives of the rich and famous hey?

[MarkOne]

I don't see the major streamers disappearing any time soon.

Particularly as they continue to fill their rosters with music they generate themselves (and hence own the mechanical and songwriting IP and avoid paying 0.02p per stream to anyone)

Even more so, if they start to use generative AI to produce said content in earnest.

And for the most part everyone will be happy because they can come in after a long day, cook a shop bought generic pizza, and say "Alexa play me some chill music to relax to" because for the most part they don't really give a stuff about music, really.

/Cynic_Mode_Off

[Dynamic Mike]

Thought experiment time then, if the days of the streaming services are indeed numbered (FWIW I don't think they are) then what do we think would happen if they disappear?

I'll be buying shares in Kazaa

I don't think they'll disappear anytime soon. There's nothing on this planet that can't be made even worse by increased advertising slots. Amazon Prime you know who you are!

[BigRedX]

Apple Music, Amazon and YouTube are all loss-leaders for the rest of their parent companies activities. However the rest are currently relying in investor speculation to stay afloat. It will be interesting to see what happens when investor patience runs out.

[Drew Stephenson]

And for the most part everyone will be happy because they can come in after a long day, cook a shop bought generic pizza, and say "Alexa play me some chill music to relax to" because for the most part they don't really give a stuff about music, really.

Nail. Head. Direct impact.

[shufflebeat]

And for the most part everyone will be happy because they can come in after a long day, cook a shop bought generic pizza, and say "Alexa play me some chill music to relax to" because for the most part they don't really give a stuff about music, really.

Nail. Head. Direct impact.

Isn’t this a scene from Logan’s Run?

[Arpangel]

When we had a wall lined with physical media, it was available to anyone in the room. Now it’s virtual, if I’m out only a subset is on offer.

No digits, free the music.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I still have walls lined with physical media.

Proper old-school here....

[MarkOne]

I still have walls lined with physical media.

Proper old-school here....

When we downsized 2 years ago, we lost the walls to line. I have a sneaky feeling that Châteaux Robjohns has a plethora of walls available for said media.

At the moment I still have all the CDs, but they're in a storage unit that costs me too much money. So operation rip media is underway and then Music Magpie or similar will get toe opportunity to offer me a few pence per disk.

[tacitus]

Chateaux? If Hugh has multiple chateaus he’ll undoubtedly have wall space even if some things are in the wrong place when needed.

Nonetheless, I’m still fairly old-school and luckily have space for most of my LPs and CDs. And I had “the problem” tonight - I couldn’t find the Mackerass recording of the Newbould completion of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony online, only the reconstituted movements on Youtube, sounding a bit weird (as in unlistenable at length). I may even have to buy the 2CD set to be able to hear the whole thing in one sitting in good audio. And still, understandably, whenever I offer recordings to friends (hesitate to call them clients!) they want them on CDs, anyway.

I gather CD sales are bouncing back as vinyl prices and other complications make them look a bargain. Here we go again …