Spotify - where's the catch?

[Syt]

Any reason to switch from Rhapsody?
Seems to me that Spotify does better in areas I don't care about like social sharing of playlists, while doing less well on things like artist information that are more useful to me.

Probably not for you, but can't say as Rhapsody only appears to be available in the U.S.

[Gups]

I guess the breath of their catalogue would be key for me.

Someone should do a comparison website for the streaming services, showing which acts and labels are on which; it could then generate an income on click-thru.

They are all pretty much the same in terms of breadth. Artists and lables either allow streaming or they don't.

[OttoVonBismarck]

There's actually no reason to pay more per song to "support the artist." The job of a consumer is the get the best deal, the end result for everyone else in the production chain is irrelevant.

Further, very few artists in history have made a living selling recorded music. I'd say the golden age of albums/records ended some time in the early 2000s and basically from the first big album hits til the end of the era I'd wager fewer than 150 people in the industry per year were actually making enough off of album sales alone to replace all other forms of income.

Since time immemorial artists have made money by performing, the recorded music stuff was an anomaly during a period when technology made it possible. Artists have certainly made money off of new media when they've gotten creative, but the overall picture for them is grim. Every person I know in the music world regularly posts long news articles onto facebook talking about how the "promise of iTunes" and other paid online distribution methods has meant far less money for artists than the old system. That's the trend, not the few outliers who have been able to convince people to give them money (the equivalent of fancy begging on the street with an instrument case open.)

[CountDeMoney]

Further, very few artists in history have made a living selling recorded music. I'd say the golden age of albums/records ended some time in the early 2000s and basically from the first big album hits til the end of the era I'd wager fewer than 150 people in the industry per year were actually making enough off of album sales alone to replace all other forms of income.

On the flip side, the proliferation of digital media and teh intrawebs have brought countless artists to modern audiences--from waiting tables to awards ceremonies within a matter of months--that never would've been heard from in the old days, languishing in bars, arts festivals and county fairs for years.

[Martinus]

There is also songs you might want to listen to that aren't on Spotify. I don't think I've found much of the Eagles, Pink Floyd, and I can't find Taylor Swift's Red album.

It has the entire Dead Can Dance and Therion discography so I'm happy.

Also, Taylor Swift? Wtf?

[Warspite]

On the flip side, the proliferation of digital media and teh intrawebs have brought countless artists to modern audiences

Who?

[Admiral Yi]

The Obama Girl and PsyOps are the only ones I can think of.

[garbon]

Justin Bieber and Soulja Boy are two though clearly I don't endorse their music.

[garbon]

Quick search also nets Lily Allen, Sean Kingston and The Arctic Monkeys.

[mongers]

I guess the breath of their catalogue would be key for me.

Someone should do a comparison website for the streaming services, showing which acts and labels are on which; it could then generate an income on click-thru.

They are all pretty much the same in terms of breadth. Artists and lables either allow streaming or they don't.

Good to know, but too many bands missing to temp be to sign up.
Plus the being tied to a cloub/internet service for music has downsides for me.

[The Minsky Moment]

Further, very few artists in history have made a living selling recorded music. I'd say the golden age of albums/records ended some time in the early 2000s and basically from the first big album hits til the end of the era I'd wager fewer than 150 people in the industry per year were actually making enough off of album sales alone to replace all other forms of income.

On the flip side, the proliferation of digital media and teh intrawebs have brought countless artists to modern audiences--from waiting tables to awards ceremonies within a matter of months--that never would've been heard from in the old days, languishing in bars, arts festivals and county fairs for years.

You're still old enough to remember the days when labels had real talent scouts or when an influential DJ could help make a band.  Whatever the drawbacks of that system, it was a little more reliable in identifying people with actual talent for musical performance as opposed to maximizing social media connections.

[fhdz]

The person who determines whether or not a person likes a band is, well, the person listening.

One man's "actual talent for musical performance" is "stuffy overthought bullshit" to another.

[The Minsky Moment]

The person who determines whether or not a person likes a band is, well, the person listening.

One man's "actual talent for musical performance" is "stuffy overthought bullshit" to another.

That's exactly the kind of thinking that made Justin Bieber rich
Singing and playing muscial instruments is a skill and doing it well like any other skill requires talent and thousands of hours of practice.
To think otherwise is to demean the musicians who perform for their living.

[fhdz]

That's exactly the kind of thinking that made Justin Bieber rich

Which means that the kind of thing you're talking about has not been a part of pop music taste-making process since the days of the crooners.

I actually wasn't talking about pop music, but I can see that you're using this as an excuse to be elite, not make an actual argument. So have at it

[Gups]

That's exactly the kind of thinking that made Justin Bieber rich
Singing and playing muscial instruments is a skill and doing it well like any other skill requires talent and thousands of hours of practice.
To think otherwise is to demean the musicians who perform for their living.

You do know that Justin Bieber was made rich by a professional talent scount and then signed to a major label before he became rich?

Record companies and agents are, on the whole, interested in money a little else. That was true before the internet age as much as it is now.