Remember the days an album would drop and the first place to check for it was Target? The CD would probably cost about $15, the packaging felt fresh and the credits were detailed.
Or even more recently as physical CD’s began to fade in the past decade, ITunes was the go-to. Purchase it on the e-store and instantly have access on an iPod or iPhone. Well, the new music consumption method known as streaming has instantaneously done away with the physical and online store purchase methods.
Instead, consumers pay a monthly fee usually no more than $20 for all access to every bit of music the streaming services offer. The big players? Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and usually for more independent acts, SoundCloud.
Music pundits have argued as to whether music streaming has been a bonus or derailment to the music industry, but rather it seems the argument should be whether it has made music consumption more accessible to the fan.
Logically, it’s a bit more of a pain to go out of the way to a store to purchase a CD. The same goes for purchasing on an e-store. However, the value in that consumption method spoke volumes. Listeners had a direct streamline of music they wanted. For comparison, the old physical method was like a river.
If physical and online music purchases are rivers, then monthly payments for streaming is an ocean. Music that one may not care for is including, the good, the bad and every last bit of the in between. So, streaming most definitely has its drawbacks.
Perhaps the most cringe-worthy drawback is that streaming requires internet service. Without data or Wi-Fi, the music suddenly becomes inaccessible, instantly becoming a pain for the fan.
As far as easiness and accessibility, its pretty fair to say streaming takes the cake on that one. The only major drawback to having all the music is when a notable artist has an exclusive deal with a streaming company that eliminates competition.
Most recently, Drake’s “Views,” Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” and Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book” have all been exclusively premiered on Apple Music. In contrast, the Jay-Z owned Tidal has had exclusive premiers for Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo,” Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” and Rihanna’s “Anti.”
The result has been an all-out war that fans have the unfortunate victim of. Streaming services have become the new music labels and dictate the pulse of popular music. Just take a look at 2016’s Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gold or platinum certified albums, the majority of which were accounted for through accumulations of streams. Even the Grammy’s have recognized stream-only music for consideration this year, which in years past was not a possibility.
Of course streaming also significantly impacts not as formidable as the aforementioned superstars. Smaller artists aren’t even getting a penny for a stream, as the royalty rate for streaming artists, especially on Spotify is dirt cheap.
It seems as if the only group that truly wins out are the streaming services themselves. As music streaming has become a billion-dollar industry, they have also become the power players and hold the industry together at their will.
It has yet to be seen whether streaming will be a true derailment or bonus for the industry, but it's clear it has become the new regime. Out with the old and in with the new, music consumption is constantly evolving and listeners are going to always be caught in the crossfire.
