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Are streaming services sucking the life out of musical choices?

kyle

kyle

Super Member
There's an interesting article in The Guardian about people stepping away from Spotify and other streamers so they can explore different music and create their own taste and preferences instead of having an algorithm chose for them. Many of them say that streaming turns music into a background thing instead of the focal point it was for them previously.
It's always been that way for me, mainly because I don't have one main style of music that I listen to. I could be listening to '50s jazz then some pop tune then some metal then etc. Streaming doesn't jump around enough for me.
It's a good read and fairly short.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2...-quitting-spotify-to-save-their-love-of-music
 
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For me it has vastly improved the choices. In the 6ish or so yrs I have been streaming I have not used the "for you" function except out of curiosity a few times (Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and AMHD). I do my own deep dig just like digging through the bins at the vinyls shop except its my phone and my thumb. With the addition of a decent streamer and good DAC a few years ago we critically listening to streaming as much (probably more) than physical media, plus my streaming library is 100's of times bigger than my physical library. As far as streaming usage we probably stream from our library much more than digging deep for new stuff, which we typically do for a couple of hours over the course of a week.
 
GChief said:
For me it has vastly improved the choices. In the 6ish or so yrs I have been streaming I have not used the "for you" function except out of curiosity a few times (Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and AMHD). I do my own deep dig just like digging through the bins at the vinyls shop except its my phone and my thumb. With the addition of a decent streamer and good DAC a few years ago we critically listening to streaming as much (probably more) than physical media, plus my streaming library is 100's of times bigger than my physical library. As far as streaming usage we probably stream from our library much more than digging deep for new stuff, which we typically do for a couple of hours over the course of a week.
Click to expand...
I agree. I dropped SpotifyPremium but still retain Qobuz, and I commonly discover a lot of new music from favorite artists there that I didn’t even know existed.
 
kyle said:
There's an interesting article in The Guardian about people stepping away from Spotify and other streamers so they can explore different music and create their own taste and preferences instead of having an algorithm chose for them. Many of them say that streaming turns music into a background thing instead of the focal point it was for them previously.
It's always been that way for me, mainly because I don't have one main style of music that I listen to. I could be listening to '50s jazz then some pop tune then some metal then etc. Streaming doesn't jump around enough for me.
It's a good read and fairly short.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2...-quitting-spotify-to-save-their-love-of-music
Click to expand...

So pick your own music. That's what I do.

For me, using a streaming service is like going to one of the great record stores of the 60s/70s/80s, only better. You can peruse all the sections, read the covers, and listen to anything they have. The difference is the size of the inventory.

The article is off base, in my opinion. It's not the fault of the streaming services that most people prefer background music or top 40. This has always been true. But for those interested in exploration and new/new-to-them music, the streaming services are an incredible resource.

You don't have to listen to their playlists (altho they can be a great resource to discover new music).
 
I've said it before - I like to kick back in my spare time and go through Mojo magazine to see what's new and seach Qobuz to have a listen, or sometimes just check the New Releases listings directly on Qoboz - I can click and listen to anything that intrigues me there. I don't use playlists. Heck, they had a HiRes NRPS live album last week I enjoyed.

But, I will offer up one service I donate to annually, and listen to a couple times a month - Radio Paradise. https://radioparadise.com/home
They curate 4 streams of music 24/7 and I can often hear something interesting in one of them. (Main Mix, Mellow Mix, Rock Mix and Global Mix)
Reminds me of the campus radio stations I listened to in the 70s and 80s, but updated.
 
They don't "suck life" out of anything if you know how to use them. If you are a "set it and forget it" person, then you are going to hear the same basic playlist and algorithmic suggestions over and over again. If you know how to program it for variety (which is usually an easy thing to do) you can get all sorts of new songs, bands and genres you might otherwise have never heard.
 
However you prefer to listen, that's the way to do it, and that could mean a combination of methods as well. There's no right or wrong way, only personal preferences. I can see the points of those in the article, just as I can see the points of dedicated streamers. Every approach has it's pluses and minuses, although any given person may not see (or choose to see) some of them through their own "personal lens". This is why I feel there's really no need for proselytizing about this stuff.
 
Note the article is about Spotify. Never had any interest with it.

With Qobuz, you select what you want to play. Since I use it under the control of LMS, it simply becomes an extension of my own digital library. There are no *algorithms* involved.
 
I wonder how the big recording studios are planning the future?
DJ payola no longer works in creating the next pop star.
 
keitht said:
I wonder how the big recording studios are planning the future?
DJ payola no longer works in creating the next pop star.
Click to expand...

I’m sure it works just the same as it ever did, just on a larger corporate scale.

kyle said:
There's an interesting article in The Guardian about people stepping away from Spotify and other streamers so they can explore different music and create their own taste and preferences instead of having an algorithm chose for them. Many of them say that streaming turns music into a background thing instead of the focal point it was for them previously.
It's always been that way for me, mainly because I don't have one main style of music that I listen to. I could be listening to '50s jazz then some pop tune then some metal then etc. Streaming doesn't jump around enough for me.
It's a good read and fairly short.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2...-quitting-spotify-to-save-their-love-of-music
Click to expand...

Streaming is just another source, and a very handy one for me. I can go dig around on an artist or genre with ease whenever I feel like it; it’s really helped increase my musical knowledge over the last couple of years. I’ve found it particularly helpful with bands I liked for a period, then lost track of. Checking out ‘new’ old releases has been interesting and risk-free with regards to purchase.

I get what you are saying about digital, it can be pretty unengaging as a medium; it will never replace physical media for me, but it’s a pretty great arrow in the quiver to have available. I’ve been using Tidal, and am quite pleased with the quality and selection. :thumbsup:
 
Streaming is an extraordinarily versatile tool. Some people clearly don't know or don't care to use it to its full potential. It's highly effective for discovery, rediscovery, or listening to favorites you've heard thousands of times. But make no mistake, one probably won't realize its remarkable value and power if one elects to use it only as a virtual DJ (which is still a great feature). Sounds to me like the folks mentioned in the article are simply half assing it...a sign of the times, I'm afraid.
 
I spend hours every week looking for new music and streaming has helped me. I got Spotify this year as a Father's Day gift and it's a great search tool. I don't ever go random, but have listened to playlists.
 
With Spotify or Pandora (free version) I never encountered "new to me" music. Usually I can name the band/singer if not the song. I turn to Google searches or Facebook groups for stuff I've never heard.
 
Our playlist threads w/links to YouTube and Bandcamp are kind of streaming services. Without a doubt AK spurred a renewed interest in discovering artists.
When my kids got older, I started back listening more than the busy days of raising kids. The music forum was like dope to me, always looking for the next "hit".
 
pauldrewry said:
With Spotify or Pandora (free version) I never encountered "new to
me" music. Usually I can name the band/singer if not the song. I turn to Google searches or Facebook groups for stuff I've never heard.
Click to expand...

I find this to be quite amazing. I believe I am familiar with a fairly broad and eclectic range of performers, yet get introduced to new ones regularly by both Amazon and Spotify.

It's very impressive that it's all old hat to you.

So, for the stuff you find via Facebook and Google, how do you listen to it? Buy it or stream it?
 
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