Are music streaming services a curse or a blessing?

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Discuss!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I don't even use them!

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Interesting point.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I have Spotify

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Good for you - or is it?

[Thor 7,462]

Both, I guess.

[bruce marshall 1,314]

Curse.

Obviously😠😡😰😵

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

14 minutes ago, Thor said:

Both, I guess.

 

Why do you think so?

[Biodome 714]

I use Spotify, because it's convenient, but ultimately it's pretty bad towards creators, especially the smaller, independent ones. They don't get adequately paid for each listen. Bandcamp solves that issue, but it doesn't have everything I need, and it's annoying to switch between two apps.

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

I use Spotify for exploring music (checking out music I haven't heard before or different recordings of classical music), but when there's something I really like, I prefer to get it on CD.

[mstrox 6,643]

Both - blessing because access to music is an overall good, curse because musicians get paid crap and it’s the biggest nail of several in the coffin for CDs.
 

I’ve never streamed.  A lot of the stuff I want won’t be on there, and I can afford to support the artists by buying.

[Thor 7,462]

Yes, that.

 

I use streaming services (mostly Spotify and Youtube) for sampling and research, but very rarely use it as my main listening platform.

[Bespin 8,475]

I never bought so many CDs since I subscribed to Spotify!

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

Me neither! But then I've been subscribing for 12 years...

[mstrox 6,643]

I installed a Plex server on my laptop - it's like my own personal Spotify!

[Jay 37,281]

Music streaming is amazing, and I can't imagine why anyone has a problem with it.

 

Every Friday I check out all the new film scores and pop/rock albums I'm interested in, and buy the ones I like on CD if they are available that way.  If they are not, I can legally listen on Spotify and that's fine with me!

 

Randomly, I discover all sorts of stuff I never would have otherwise, especially in the video gaming world.  All kinda of interesting covers and remixes along with original releases, too.

 

 

[Wojo 2,453]

55 minutes ago, mstrox said:

I installed a Plex server on my laptop - it's like my own personal Spotify!

 

I have (most of) my entire collection on my NAS that I can stream using Plex. Last Friday they were offering a sale of Plex Pass, which I gobbled up. I hope it's worth it. 

 

My plan is to make Plex accounts for my family to stream all my music and ripped video discs, but it is a very slow process. My music collection is a hot mess. 

[mstrox 6,643]

I had a Plex pass for a while - it allowed me to download music and video immediately on my devices for times when I wouldn't be in wifi service, but otherwise it wasn't much use for me.  I think they've made it more robust since that time, though.

 

Plex's video cataloguing is very good - you can manually amend their automatic sorting.  Music, not so much, so there are some problems.  My music is tagged and organized pristinely, but for some reason, for instance, 2/3 of the LOTR complete recordings are organized on Plex into the same album as the OST - and in the case of FOTR, it ALSO organized a FOTR radio play into the same album - making it impossible to just pick the album and go.  And there's no manual override - you have to rename/reorganize and hope that Plex will recognize THIS iteration correctly.  It also does it with some of the Disney Legacy Collections, organizing them into the same album instead of separate albums.

 

Those are rare exceptions, though - most of the time it works excellently.

[Jay 37,281]

Plex is great!  We use it all the time.

 

They recently updated the Plex app on our Roku TV, and it added a new Live TV feature.  We chcked it out, and it was kind of similar to Pluto TV, but with different channels.  We ended up finding a channel playing a videos from a very silly youtube channel called Eat The Pizza, and now that's become our new Friday night laugh and unwind time killer

[bollemanneke 3,337]

A curse. If they want my money, they're gonna have to allow me to download MP3 files. As long as that doesn't happen, they're not getting a penny.

[Jay 37,281]

If you subscribe to Spotify, you can download all the music you want from it to any of your devices and play them back without an internet connection

[Quintus 5,399]

At home I almost exclusively listen to music via Spotify and YouTube since I stopped purchasing physical media years ago. The LotR CR were actually my last hard copy purchases. 

 

I don't understand Plex. 

[Jay 37,281]

Plex is used to stream your own digital media collection on any device you install the plex app (or use the web browser)

 

For example, I have a small windows server sitting in my office upstairs that doesnt even have a keyboard/monitor hooked up to it or anything, that has a hard drive full of my music collection.  That server box runs the Plex server, and I have the Plex client app on my Roku TV downstairs in my living room.  My TV is hooked up to my nice living room speaker setup.  So I can sit down on my couch, pick up the Roku remote, click a few things, and be playing any music album I have upstairs out from my living room stereo setup

[mstrox 6,643]

Yeah, it's a quick app installation on your home computer, and if your music/video collections are already organized into folders, it will populate your libraries.  It's pretty foolproof.  Then, you can stream those files from anywhere (phone, TV, etc.).

[Holko 9,498]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

If you subscribe to Spotify, you can download all the music you want from it to any of your devices and play them back without an internet connection

I'd note that those are not the MP3s bolle specified, they can't be moved, edited and all that, just a way to listen to the same thing without internet.

[Jay 37,281]

Of course

[bollemanneke 3,337]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

If you subscribe to Spotify, you can download all the music you want from it to any of your devices and play them back without an internet connection

Right, but you still need their app, right? I can't open them in any random media player, I thought.

[Quintus 5,399]

42 minutes ago, Jay said:

Plex is used to stream your own digital media collection on any device you install the plex app (or use the web browser)

 

For example, I have a small windows server sitting in my office upstairs that doesnt even have a keyboard/monitor hooked up to it or anything, that has a hard drive full of my music collection.  That server box runs the Plex server, and I have the Plex client app on my Roku TV downstairs in my living room.  My TV is hooked up to my nice living room speaker setup.  So I can sit down on my couch, pick up the Roku remote, click a few things, and be playing any music album I have upstairs out from my living room stereo setup

 

This is the best explanation for PLEX I've ever seen, thanks! 

 

I sort of knew it was household media centre software, but that it also required a constantly powered up PC. Which is something I wouldn't want to have running (at all times) just for the convenience of having media accessible *when/if* required. 

[Jay 37,281]

9 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Right, but you still need their app, right? I can't open them in any random media player, I thought.

 

Of course

 

8 minutes ago, Quintus said:

This is the best explanation for PLEX I've ever seen, thanks! 

 

I sort of knew it was household media centre software, but that it also required a constantly powered up PC. Which is something I wouldn't want to have running (at all times) just for the convenience of having media accessible *when/if* required. 

 

I specifically bought a windows server that has lower power consumption so as not to waste electricity, but I also do other things with the server, it's not just for Plex.  I keep all my files of any type on it, and so even if I am sitting playing music on my laptop while working, it's being served off that server (not through Plex, just through windows folders browsing to it)

[bollemanneke 3,337]

That's what I meant. As long as I can't do what I want with that music, I'm not subscribing.

[Jay 37,281]

It's apples and oranges.  You subscribe to a streaming services to sample all the music in the world, find new things, listen to albums as they are configured for release, make playlists of official tracks, etc.

 

You individually purchase the music you want to edit or fiddle without outside of the streaming app of choice

[bollemanneke 3,337]

But why can't you have both at once? Why does it matter to them HOW I listen as long as I pay?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Cuz theyre fuckers

[King Mark 3,624]

No the fact that you can't  stream the RCA/ Sony expanded Star Wars OT scores because the rights "expired" is a case in point against streaming service. They COULD remove your favorite album at any time .Maybe not now but eventually. Can't live with that possibility

[Jay 37,281]

30 minutes ago, King Mark said:

No the fact that you can't  stream the RCA/ Sony expanded Star Wars OT scores because the rights "expired" is a case in point against streaming service. They COULD remove your favorite album at any time .Maybe not now but eventually. Can't live with that possibility

 

As has been mentioned several times in this thread, it's not a good REPLACEMENT FOR buying music you like, it's a good ADDITION TO that; a great way to explore all the music in the world you don't already own

[King Mark 3,624]

True but my basic concern is that it will eventually kill purchasable music altogether and we won't have that choice eventually

[Wojo 2,453]

So you stream the music while you run an audio recording program at the same time, and then you have the files. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Tape it?

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

5 hours ago, Jay said:

 

As has been mentioned several times in this thread, it's not a good REPLACEMENT FOR buying music you like, it's a good ADDITION TO that; a great way to explore all the music in the world you don't already own

 

Well said! I pity those who get rid of their CD collection because everything is available on streaming... until their favourite music suddenly isn't available anymore.

[bruce marshall 1,314]

3 hours ago, King Mark said:

True but my basic concern is that it will eventually kill purchasable music altogether and we won't have that choice eventually

Which is why I will not purchase downloaded music.

The only power we have , to preserve recorded music , is to only buy CDs.

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

I buy more CDs after streaming services gave me the possibility to explore more music.

[bruce marshall 1,314]

32 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I buy more CDs after streaming services gave me the possibility to explore more music.

How long do you think THAT will last?

Look how many scores are download only or sold as $$$ lps.

 

Btw I subscribe to SIRIUS Satellite radio. Im not sure if that's considered streaming as its more like FM radio with archived programs.

[bollemanneke 3,337]

11 hours ago, Jay said:

 

As has been mentioned several times in this thread, it's not a good REPLACEMENT FOR buying music you like, it's a good ADDITION TO that; a great way to explore all the music in the world you don't already own

Yes, but this whole subscription thing only works if you're made of money. I'm not going to subscribe to Spotify to then have to buy LLL releases or other stuff that's not on there. i'm not going to subscribe to Netflix to then have to discover something is only on Disney+ or on Netflix in another country. I could use a VPN, but then that's another bill. I know I'm in the minority as all my acquaintances disagree, but as long as illegal services, based on donations or not, are more profitable, I'm sticking with them.

[mstrox 6,643]

4 hours ago, bruce marshall said:

Which is why I will not purchase downloaded music.

The only power we have , to preserve recorded music , is to only buy CDs.

I back my CDs up digitally (and do buy digital albums when there is no CD or the CD is prohibitively expensive).  I have to say, I’ve “lost” more CDs which have stopped playing than I have digital files. I still have digital files I downloaded 20 years ago in high school. Meanwhile, I just bought a 21 year old CD (new in original wrapping) and there was visible CD rot at the edge.  The last track was unplayable!  I had to buy the last track on iTunes to supplement.

[Wojo 2,453]

6 hours ago, bruce marshall said:

How long do you think THAT will last?

Look how many scores are download only or sold as $$$ lps.

 

Btw I subscribe to SIRIUS Satellite radio. Im not sure if that's considered streaming as its more like FM radio with archived programs.

 

SiriusXM pisses me off. They have an excellent soundtrack channel but it's internet only, which means that I can't listen to it in my primary place for listening to XM: in the car. If I'm on Wi-Fi, my Plex server makes XM redundant. 

[A24 4,326]

For me streaming makes the real world more uninteresting because I loved going to the music stores. Now all that is left are clothing stores or other vanity shops. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

A steady stream.

[Datameister 2,037]

The only way I do any music streaming is on YouTube from time to time if I'm looking for something specific. I have nothing against those who use Spotify or whatever but these platysma just don't appeal to me with my listening habits.

 

So...blessing for most people, curse insofar as they are contributing to the demise of CDs. 

[Jurassic Shark 12,023]

The sound quality on Spotify is usually way better than on YouTube.

[bruce marshall 1,314]

3 hours ago, who cares said:

 

SiriusXM pisses me off. They have an excellent soundtrack channel but it's internet only, which means that I can't listen to it in my primary place for listening to XM: in the car. If I'm on Wi-Fi, my Plex server makes XM redundant. 

I hear ya😡

1 hour ago, Datameister said:

The only way I do any music streaming is on YouTube from time to time if I'm looking for something specific. I have nothing against those who use Spotify or whatever but these platysma just don't appeal to me with my listening habits.

 

So...blessing for most people, curse insofar as they are contributing to the demise of CDs. 

You know, I only recently discovered how much music is on YT- and LEGALLY it seems!  Download only scores like BLACK PANTHER seem to be legit. Is that right?