Streaming

TuneCore Poll: 82% Say More Will Stream Than Download Music

image from t1.gstatic.com A new Tuncore poll of its musician and music industry users took a look at "A Future Of Downloading Or Streaming?" They we're asked the question: "Do you think consumers will stream more music than they download?". The bigger question for the industry may be how much fans are willing to pay to stream music, but at least according to this poll, the fans intention to stream more music is undeniable:

image from tunecore.typepad.com

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7 Comments

  1. It is undeniable because this is not a fan poll, it’s a musicians poll. This is what musicians THINK fans will do.
    With that said, I do believe the trend is heading towards streaming which is bad for artists. Ease of use, price and control is what is sending fans to these sites because just like this poll, no one is asking the fans what they want.
    If you ask your fan what they want, and deliver, then streaming will become a discover tool rather than a consumption tool. The only problem is that bands need to do this en masse – everybody needs to start taking care of their fans (customers), which isn’t likely to happen.

  2. I completely (almost) agree with you. Musicians are notoriously bad at understanding what the fan wants or needs.
    Where I disagree is with streaming. Streaming needs to be both a discovery tool and a consumption tool. Once we have a service (or three) that has a catalog as large as itunes, where the fan can stream what they want, when they want AND do it on any device they choose AND share their favorites with friends AND buy downloads if they desire… when a service can do all that while charging the fan under 8 bucks (not including downloads) a month (which can charged to their cell phone bill)… that’s when we start a new chapter in the history of this business. If you understand numbers and what the fan wants (which the technology companies do, the labels and artists? Not so much) Then artists who currently sell on itunes can expect to triple (or more) their current income. Also, this will all but end illegal file sharing. It’s not that you wouldn’t e able to do it… but why would you? It would be (comparatively) a pain in the butt.

  3. I agree completely with Jeff that the ease and flexibility of the subscription model described would provide adequate disincentive to file sharing and seems to be where the industry is headed. One theme which seems to escape most as I read this blog daily is that it is the responsibility of the business owner (and not anyone else) to adopt revenue models which achieve their goal. So if you’re an unsigned artist, it’s YOUR job to figure out how you wish to monetize your product. And just as most small businesses fail within the first few years of operation, it is the onus of the business owner- artist, producer, label or whomever- to devise your own model and stop blaming others and technology when and if your model fails. Every other industry faces the same challenges every day and the music biz is no different- it’s survival of the fittest. You either evolve, or you become extinct- but in either case you need to check the man in the mirror first.

  4. I agree with Jeff completely here. A subscription model like the one he suggests would certainly provide the ease and flexibility to eliminate most of the negatives associated with file sharing. One thing which escapes me as I read this blog daily is the realization that it is the onus of the business owner- be it artist, producer or label- to devise and comprehend the revenue model which makes sense for them. All other industries face the daily challenges of how technology and other advancements in marketing methodologies affect their model- and the music biz is no different. It’s survival of the fittest- one most evolve, or resolve themselves to extinction as a business and not seek to shift the blame elsewhere. Great insights by both Jeff and Phil.

  5. OK so this is what the Music business evolution did.
    14$ per Album, to 99c per song. to 1 penny per stream.
    They will stream the whole album of their favorite artist and then remember 1 or 2 songs and then just and add them to their playlist along with all the other songs. And forget about their album all together.
    Now its just a matter of time before people figure out they can stream a song for a penny and find a way to record it and turn it to an MP3. Hence saving 98 cents! Good going music industry. Or better yet, they can come up with a virtual digital locker that is free and they can access all their ripped MP3’s from their mobile devices for free. Or how about they just continue to download from torrent site for free. Cause why would you pay for something that you can get for free. So as long as there is torrent sites, they will be piracy. And this whole in the cloud thing may be just a cloud of smoke of an imploding “industry” if you can even call it that anymore.

  6. OK so this is what the Music business evolution did.
    14$ per Album, to 99c per song. to 1 penny per stream.
    They will stream the whole album of their favorite artist and then remember 1 or 2 songs and then just and add them to their playlist along with all the other songs. And forget about their album all together.
    Now its just a matter of time before people figure out they can stream a song for a penny and find a way to record it and turn it to an MP3. Hence saving 98 cents! Good going music industry. Or better yet, they can come up with a virtual digital locker that is free and they can access all their ripped MP3’s from their mobile devices for free. Or how about they just continue to download from torrent site for free. Cause why would you pay for something that you can get for free. So as long as there is torrent sites, they will be piracy. And this whole in the cloud thing may be just a cloud of smoke of an imploding “industry” if you can even call it that anymore.

  7. OK so this is what the Music business evolution did.
    14$ per Album, to 99c per song. to 1 penny per stream.
    They will stream the whole album of their favorite artist and then remember 1 or 2 songs and then just and add them to their playlist along with all the other songs. And forget about their album all together.
    Now its just a matter of time before people figure out they can stream a song for a penny and find a way to record it and turn it to an MP3. Hence saving 98 cents! Good going music industry. Or better yet, they can come up with a virtual digital locker that is free and they can access all their ripped MP3’s from their mobile devices for free. Or how about they just continue to download from torrent site for free. Cause why would you pay for something that you can get for free. So as long as there is torrent sites, they will be piracy. And this whole in the cloud thing may be just a cloud of smoke of an imploding “industry” if you can even call it that anymore.

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