Downloading Music Is Quickly Going Out Of Fashion

[Coop 15,391]

First records died, then cassette tapes, then CDs and now, downloads. That's right, we're all but officially in the age of streaming services.

Apple might operate the largest online music store in the world, but the Apple Store's iTunes digital music sales have fallen about 13 percent this year, a source familiar with the matter tells the Wall Street Journal. The writing is on the wall.

Meanwhile, Spotify is surging ahead. The music streaming service hit 10 million global paid subscribers in May, up from 6 million paid subscribers in March 2013. Throw in people who use the service but don't pay, and Spotify's now lays claim to 40 million active users, up from 24 million in March 2013.

Then there's Pandora, the Internet radio service with 80 million users, which dominates the streaming music industry. Those numbers have steadily increased, up from 70 million in May 2013, and listening hours have continued to increase too.

Of course, there's a big difference between the Apple Store on the one hand and Spotify and Pandora on the other. Apple's iTunes makes mountain of money, while Pandora occasionally turns a little profit and Spotify isn't even profitable yet.

Nevertheless, Apple apparently sees which way the wind is blowing. As speculated in earlier reports, Apple will be relaunching and rebuilding Beats Music -- the existing $10-a-month subscription streaming service -- under its own brand.

You can soon say goodbye to the days when download was king.

 

 

http://goo.gl/2oqSrJ

[Cersei 56]

Everything has been on the decline recently though

 

movie attendance, book audience

 

people are slowly getting out of entertainment that they have to pay for.

[Mr Josh 3]

Expect download numbers to plunge even more when Apple rolls out their $5 unlimited streaming. Unfortunately Spotify will suffer too.

[CHANTEL 2]

i already hated downloads, I love Physical music and now even that is declining and we're going into stremaing ew :facepalm:

[craig 680]

CDs and even Vinyl will outlast downloading. I predicted that a couple years ago.

What's amazing is that paid itunes got so big for awhile.

[Dodo 313]

Well at least those streams will count for billboard (most likely) 

[ALX 170]

I mean duh...

 

Everyone in the industry knows that subscription services are increasing and soon they'll be integrated into phone bills. That's why there's been a constant battle for more money from those services because they barely give the artists a revenue stream

[HANZ 4,380]

why would you pay $$$$$$$ to get your music if you can get it for free?

 

[Hexxx 2,244]

why would you pay $$$$$$$ to get your music if you can get it for free?

:deadbanana:

[Valextra 58]

Everything has been on the decline recently though

 

movie attendance, book audience

 

people are slowly getting out of entertainment that they have to pay for.

 

Exactly, I'm not surprised, especially in a period like this one where people have priorities more important...

[lucia4 0]

I don't understand streaming. It's online, so how am I going to listen to my music when I'm outside of the house? I have to pay for a huge data plan? No thank you. I'll stick to my physical CDs and rip them for my phone.

[SweetEscape 654]

I always buy physical CDs

[RAMROD 116,999]

Streaming have downsides,

not every country have flawless internet connections,

be it fixed or mobile, let alone wi-fi.

 

Also, many of streaming service are only

available in few countries because

of the complicated copyright law between countries varies.

 

I don't think streaming will be big as really big.

 

 

People who afford it will still buy their music.

And so they can listen to it, even when go into the forest.

Or when visiting not very developed countries.

[Coop 15,391]

I don't understand streaming. It's online, so how am I going to listen to my music when I'm outside of the house? I have to pay for a huge data plan? No thank you. I'll stick to my physical CDs and rip them for my phone.

Yes, I agree. In the US they have really good deals for internet, but in my country people mostly use pre-paid sim cards where you don't have any good internet deals. 

[AbuHassan1992 766]

I've used spotify for years. So much easier than dowloading torrents

I don't understand streaming. It's online, so how am I going to listen to my music when I'm outside of the house? I have to pay for a huge data plan? No thank you. I'll stick to my physical CDs and rip them for my phone.

You can download the music to your phone to use offline

Streaming have downsides,

not every country have flawless internet connections,

be it fixed or mobile, let alone wi-fi.

 

Also, many of streaming service are only

available in few countries because

of the complicated copyright law between countries varies.

 

I don't think streaming will be big as really big.

 

 

People who afford it will still buy their music.

And so they can listen to it, even when go into the forest.

Or when visiting not very developed countries.

you download the songs to your phone. It's like itunes, only you pay $20 or something a month and can download an unlimited amount of music to listen to offline.