The People vs. Mr. Spotify

[pete]

I use it all the time.

Enjoy the syncing across devices so start listening on phone connected to bluetooth speaker and whilst sitting at laptop can skip or choose new album and all works perfectly.
Like having podcasts in there now too.
Great UI.
Massive catalogue. Someone(H) mentions X is playing Voodoo and you can check it out and pop along
So many people using it that you get embedded albums in album reviews. Also people tweeting links to playlists  (often people who give out about it ha)

I use bandcamp too but never got into the buying digital for some reason, I buy vinyl and tshirts on bandcamp, have bought some digital, but maybe 10 albums over all the years using it.

Prior to COVID I'd catch a couple of gigs a week, so lately really feel I'm contributing very little to music, have bought some virtual gigs etc to help artists out, but I'm running out of space for tshirts at this stage.

Knowing nothing about the industry and how it works ->  it's a shame the artists do so poorly out of something that basically nearly everyone loves.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

What he's really getting at is killing the album, just like that Olaf guitar playing twat said in one of his videos; what they're saying is "don't record an album every three years...record a single every couple of months." That's how "content creation" is done, a continuous stream. People seem to be responding as if he's suggesting they make more music, but honestly it's about pure market mentality oriented product staggering. Killing the album format, which is of no use to Spotify or the kind of content consumption it aims for.

[astfgyl]

What he's really getting at is killing the album, just like that Olaf guitar playing twat said in one of his videos; what they're saying is "don't record an album every three years...record a single every couple of months." That's how "content creation" is done, a continuous stream. People seem to be responding as if he's suggesting they make more music, but honestly it's about pure market mentality oriented product staggering. Killing the album format, which is of no use to Spotify or the kind of content consumption it aims for.

Ugh. That actually makes me feel sick to see the purposeful killing of the album format to sell music to people who don't even really like it.

[Airneanach]

He's got some neck on him trying to ride the artists he doesn't fairly pay into pumping out more albums for his platform.

Spotify's main achievement has been making it harder for artists to earn a living. Fuck it till it bleeds.

[Eoin McLove]

It's just down to bands to have a bit of cop on.

[Pedrito]

In many ways it has never been a better time to be in a (good) band. I think if you could get the most important part right i.e. the music and the vibe/look that you're about, which really is the hardest part, I think there's a massive potential audience out there for you and spotify only needs to be an element in your overall approach.

Youtube, instagram, all that stuff offers so many potential listeners that can be converted into customers. That all sounds very artificial but it doesn't have to be. You could be the next Nick Cave, but get the core part right and the options would be endless I believe. The problem is creating anything of any worth in the first place, but that's life I'm afraid.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

The People vs Mr.Spotify round 2:
https://ra.co/news/76439

On November 9th, Ek announced the [€100 million] investment into the British-German company, whose technology will initially be sold to the French, British and German militaries. As part of the deal, Ek is also joining Helsing's board.

Helsing says it will use "world-leading AI technology for defence and national security" to provide "information advantage for democratic governments" and "keep liberal democracies from harm."

To quote Bo Burnham, "There it is again, that funny feeling."

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

The photo they've used there is too flattering. I prefer the one on wiki:

[hellfire]

Darragh from Invictus posted on Facebook a few years ago about the absolutely insulting amount of money bands get from streaming services. I'm talking cents here vs euros. Streaming is not my bag, but it's massively popular. Musicians can't really pull their stuff from Spotify as it risks getting completely left out in the cold.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

True. It would be nice if people abandoned them en masse though. lol, yeah right. There are better options for artist compensation though, from a listener point of view I mean; Deezer, Qobuz, Bandcamp, all supposedly treat artists better. And haven't yet heavily invested in the military industrial complex.

[Slaughterday]

I use Spotify quite a bit, especially in the car. Worth the money for convenience alone. I use Bandcamp as well but generally all I have on there are the downloads from buying through bands or labels Bandcamp sites.

Not sure if I would have any ethical issues with using Spotify from a band revenue point of view in most cases. If it's an underground band, are they really going to be relying on streams to make money or for the label to make money? It can be used well as a try before you buy tool

Chances are that most people will buy the LP or CD, or shirt. I can't see a scenario where fans would only stream the new Vomitor album, and not buy it on a physical format. Buying physical media goes hand in hand with listening to underground metal, and Spotify won't change that.

[Caomhaoin]

Yep, Spotify is an excellent service, moral qualms aside. My apartment does not have the space for giant LP collections, and as the boy says, it's perfect for the car (as long as you don't have shitty electrics like in a Citroen).

Used to jealously hoard my choons on physical format but short of renting space to put them in or buying a house outside the city, it's a necessary evil.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

I understand that having a streaming service is a necessary evil, but is Spotify really the only option? (Genuine question, since I don't use one.) I know a few people who have jumped ship to Deezer or Qobuz or Tidal over the last year or two.

[Blackout]

Bands are still allowing their music to be uploaded to Spotify anyway so if they're so vehemently opposed to same why aren't they boycotting?

[Caomhaoin]

Is there any benefit to the other three you mentioned though I wonder, other than just not being Spotify?

I mean one good thing about Spotify is that the library is absolutely enormous. Not omni, but close enough for most lads.