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I'll clarify: I meant much better than 10-15 years ago when music industry was in the toilet and piracy was at its peak. You mentioned MP3s, so I was working in that timeframe, and MP3s peak like 10-15 years ago. They're not far from all time highs for revenue. Lord knows ticket prices are obscene these days, and yeah, TM/LN takes a cut, but artists are making more than ever from touring (I could only find past 15 years of data)



Add this to the numbers above, and total revenue may be the highest ever ($38 billion in 2023 versus $30 billion estimated for 1999).

GORDON wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2024 7:15 pm because no one listens to albums, as albums.

Taylor Swift says wrong.

Well, I mean, yeah. The most successful artist on the planet is selling albums. What fraction of bands are there than what we had in 1989 are releasing albums and getting radio play?

My point was that albums aren't dead. Obviously there's the Swifties, but I know fans of other groups and artists also go through albums when they're released.

However, to your point, the industry has definitely changed. Dax is making a living dropping singles. You mentioned something called a radio, which I imagine is some sort of ancient device? Most people listen to their Pandora and Spotify stations, which do nothing but repeat their liked songs in whatever genre they picked. So yeah, not a lot of opportunity for exposure these days.

I think radio play pays way more to the artist than Spotify and Pandora. Probably why radio is ancient and out of fashion, just like the mp3 file format. Everything must be streamed. No one makes money when you play your own physical media.

GORDON wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 9:48 am No one makes money when you play your own physical media.

Exactly. Ownership is dead.

EaaS. Everything as a Service.

Steaming music is convenient enough that I much prefer it to owning media/mp3s/CDs/whatever. Honestly it's more convenient. New music just shows up. There's caveats (like music mixes - soundtracks, compilations, etc are sometimes missing). But it works for me.

Is there a big service that let's you stream and enjoy an entire album, without having to purchase that album first?

GORDON wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 2:38 pm Is there a big service that let's you stream and enjoy an entire album, without having to purchase that album first?

Spotify - free/ad-supported mode. I guess?

I mean, all the subscription ones have the entire catalog of all music all the time. (With music missing).

Not quite sure what you mean,

GORDON wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 2:38 pm Is there a big service that let's you stream and enjoy an entire album, without having to purchase that album first?

iTunes and I assume Amazon's music service.

We have a family iTunes account and all my kids DLed Swift's newest album when it dropped.

I've used YouTube music, Pandora, and Spotify. TO MY KNOWLEDGE I wouldn't be able to play an entire album in order, unless I bought it first. But then I still have to pay for the streaming service.

GORDON wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 3:36 pm unless I bought it first. But then I still have to pay for the streaming service.

This is not true.

You just select the album and play it. And having the streaming service means no additional charges. It's just a single monthly charge.

I can invite you to my spotify account, I think, if you want to try it.