Music Downloads Post Their Worst Decline Ever

Megalith

Megalith

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In what is being regarded as the most severe drop on record, music downloads have fallen to 23.9%, with total sales at 404.9 million. While I prefer a personal collection I can maintain and curate, streaming seems to be the most practical solution for people who get their music digitally.

…debates over whether streaming is cannibalizing downloads are being thrown out the window, with the latter clearly devouring the former for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight snack. 2016 is clearly the year that killed paid music downloads. But unlike CDs and vinyl, which enjoyed post-extinction lifespans, the music download could be permanently wiped off the Earth. Emmanuel Zunz, CEO of digital distributor ONErpm, was the first to predict a complete and total replacement of the paid download, simply because streaming is so directly competitive (and better).
 
I maintain my collection ripped from my own CDs over the years (like 2,350 at last count but they're kept in environmentally controlled storage 'cause they just take up too much space for a studio apartment) and rarely do I find any new music worth purchasing. Was just listening to some of my stuff a few minutes ago, mostly 80s music with a lot of Rush and Joe Satriani thrown in for good measure. I did buy the new Blue Man Group album recently ("Three") because I'm a fan but that's probably the only purchase I've made in maybe 3-4 years.

New music sucks, and to be honest whenever I hear "new" music these days it's not something I really like to consider music at all, just a lot of noise and excessive repetition from clueless songwriters that can't do anything worthwhile so they just loop it over and over till it just makes my damned ears nearly bleed. :D
 
NickJames said:
Fuck paying for individual tracks, I rarely listen to the same stuff after 3 months anyway. I love Google Musics playlists.
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That's certainly your choice of appreciation, but that is not a universal belief that listeners have.



Some of the most regarded albums (in rock at least) are concept albums, which implore the listener to experience the entire album. Not common though, because they do require a high level of skill to pull off.
 
90 out of 100 albums are crap. One hit wonders from the radio to get you interested and find out it was fluff. It's only 18 dollars for 1 good song out of 14.. what a steal.
 
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Tiberian said:
New music sucks, and to be honest whenever I hear "new" music these days it's not something I really like to consider music at all, just a lot of noise and excessive repetition from clueless songwriters that can't do anything worthwhile so they just loop it over and over till it just makes my damned ears nearly bleed. :D
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There is good music out there, but it's not "Hot 100" type music. It's not as easy as listening to the radio anymore. But the style is different then say the 70's or 80's and you will have to get over that. Samples, Synths, and processing is just a reality that the 20 somethings grew up with and it affects their style. But it doesn't mean that creativity died in 1999. I am trying to actively enjoy music after 2000, but it's going much slower for me.

Here's my current iTunes playlist count of songs I want to hear on a reoccurring basis (out of 15,000 total songs)

1960's - 112 songs
1970's - 315 songs
1980's - 459 songs
1990's - 283 songs
2000's - 56 songs (this is from 2000 to current)
Instrumental - 305 songs (mostly from anime & movies)
 
STrAYeR said:
90 out of 100 albums are crap. One hit wonders from the radio to get you interested and find out it was fluff. It's only 18 dollars for 1 good song out of 14.. what a steal.
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Thats because most artists simply don't have the creativity to do a full album (let alone successive albums). That's not a cut down, it just means a artist/group like The Eagles, Smashing Pumpkins, George Straight, U2 and The Cars are not common.

But I am deeply grateful bands like A-Ha! made Take On Me and made that stellar video. That contribution is worth the purchase of an album to me.
 
westrock2000 said:
That's certainly your choice of appreciation, but that is not a universal belief that listeners have.



Some of the most regarded albums (in rock at least) are concept albums, which implore the listener to experience the entire album. Not common though, because they do require a high level of skill to pull off.
Click to expand...

Gets boring listening to same song over and over in a car ride every day going to work. I'd rather just let my playlists throw some random shit at me and see what I like, if I don't, I skip. I have 4 decades worth of music that I enjoy, I rarely listen to the same song twice in a month.
 
If you can't make a whole album worth listening to then you aren't an artist. You are a one hit washout. The last single I bought was Steve Martin singing King Tut on a 45. This was before I really knew anything about music. I have tons of cassettes and CD's in the attic. The main problem is that most of the new music is crap. I have a real narrow music taste and that has never been mainstream so I am used to having to look for it. Listening to streaming music or a radio station as we used to call them is OK I guess, except renting music is a stupid idea to me. Buy the CD, rip it, and enjoy over and over and over. Go see the band when they come to your town.
 
You can still get good music today, even good concept albums, just not on a major label. Just three examples from the past few years:





Steven Wilson - "Hand. Cannot. Erase" complete album - YouTube

Also, the loudness war has killed most mainstream pop for me, so I don't fee inclined to buy even in passing. Did pick up up Caro Emerald this week, but that's about it as far as pop goes.
 
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NickJames said:
Gets boring listening to same song over and over in a car ride every day going to work. I'd rather just let my playlists throw some random shit at me and see what I like, if I don't, I skip. I have 4 decades worth of music that I enjoy, I rarely listen to the same song twice in a month.
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Ahh ok, I get that then. I did have an interaction from college that has stayed with me where I was talking about a song to someone and a girl overheard it and was like "why do you still care about that song? That was from like a year ago". There are people out there who treat music like a fashion statement. That's how I perceived your post originally
 
I have my collection of music on CD's - most of it I bought in the 90s. The music consists of 60's, 70's, 80's, and a little 90's music. I ripped these years ago. I don't really like a lot of new music - if I do, it's usually one song. I've learned my lesson - don't buy an album for just one song.
I listen to most of my music when I'm driving. I listen to the radio (OMG!!). I don't even stream.
If I listen to music at work, it's probably going to be Pandora or something similar. Why bother buying?

Let me guess - the music industry will blame this on piracy.
 
Of note, 2 widely known artists that I know refuse to allow digital sales.

1. Garth Brooks
2. Tool (because their cases and artwork are also artistic parts of the albums)

There were others (Beatles and Pink Floyd for example), but they have all recently given in. The Garth Brooks one is pretty surprising. He (his label) even actively removes content from YouTube. Just try and find The Dance music video by Garth Brooks on YouTube (one of his biggest hits).
 
westrock2000 said:
Of note, 2 widely known artists that I know refuse to allow digital sales.

1. Garth Brooks
2. Tool (because their cases and artwork are also artistic parts of the albums)

There were others (Beatles and Pink Floyd for example), but they have all recently given in. The Garth Brooks one is pretty surprising. He (his label) even actively removes content from YouTube. Just try and find The Dance music video by Garth Brooks on YouTube (one of his biggest hits).
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How funny that Garth is a tool.
 
Today's music sucks. Who wants to listen to Beyonce and Justin Beiber. I have a rock collection of CDs that I have owned for years. And its a lot better music. I haven't paid for new music in like 3 years now.
 
westrock2000 said:
Ahh ok, I get that then. I did have an interaction from college that has stayed with me where I was talking about a song to someone and a girl overheard it and was like "why do you still care about that song? That was from like a year ago". There are people out there who treat music like a fashion statement. That's how I perceived your post originally
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Oh no I still listen to oldies but I can't burnout an album with 20 replays or I'll just end up hating it, which is why I prefer streaming services over buying.
 
The biggest problem with modern music is actually finding the good stuff. The only recent things I've found that I like, I heard as background music on TV shows.
 
Buy CD's. Rip to Server. Set for life. If I want to sample crap, I'll log into Spotify for free, listen to an album to decide if I want to own it. But if you're someone that considers music disposable (see the poster who doesn't listen to music after 3 months), then I can see why a subscription only model makes sense.
 
Wrecked Em said:
The biggest problem with modern music is actually finding the good stuff. The only recent things I've found that I like, I heard as background music on TV shows.
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In fairness, most music has always sucked. Anyone who says the 60s and 70s music was all awesome, is nuts. There's tons of music nobody plays anymore (some good, most of it crap). What's more, a good chunk of what's listened was never pop music. In short, you always had to look for the good stuff. The only time it landed in your lap was when you were young, you listened to nothing but top 40 and you liked pretty much everything you heard.

I mean hell, I remember getting Rush' farewell to kings. Not pop. Not something I liked right away. Now I think it's brilliant...it took effort. I find it's exactly like that today. The difference is that sometimes I don't put in as much effort as I didn't when I was 15-30.
 
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