Have you not made a purchase of an album because you could stream it?

An album that you would have absolutely purchased if there were no streaming services?

 

Yes. I stream 99% now. I’ll still buy certain artists’ new albums as an OCD collector, but mostly stream them to listen to. It’s a sickness.

 

Without a doubt, Neil Young's Archives 2, which streams on NYA. In a physical media only world I certainly would have purchased it.

 

I only use streaming to audition albums I think I might like. If I do I buy a hard copy. I’ve ended up buying things I might not have done and also not bought albums that turned out to be disappointing.

 

If I now discover an album that was recorded in the last 30+ years, during the digital era, I’m not likely to buy a copy.

 

No. I only use streaming to check out new music I'm unfamiliar with, to play something I only own on vinyl on a setup without a turntable or to listen to an album while waiting for my physical copy to arrive in the mail. I've never made the decision not to buy something just because it can be easily streamed.

 

I can't buy everything

 

I have bought 2 albums since 2001, both directly supporting the band at the show.

 

This is exactly how I feel.

Listening to albums on YouTube has causes more sales from me, not less.

 

Wait, you mean you don't have unlimited resources to buy every single album that piques your interest??

 

I almost exclusive stream on spotify... Unless I'm listening to live shows or tapes which I have curated on itunes... But I so rarely buy an album unless it's a vinyl release of something I must have.. Pretty rare these days that new artists have "Must have" vinyl releases.. Most don't produce it right.. I'm not spending $28 bucks for a digital version on vinyl... There's some artists that it's totally worth it to get on vinyl, but most no... And I have no real use for CDs at all.. What's the point of buying the digital copy if it's on all the platforms anyways? I support artists I love by going to shows and buying merch these days... I don't see how streaming prevails without charging much more for it, but until copyright/royalty/publishing laws get updated to the modern day, unfortunately artists are just not going to make money on the actual records they produce..

 

I literally used to though.. Every new music Tuesday. Walked into Blockbuster music, and spent whatever I had on me... EVERY SINGLE WEEK for years...

 

Spotify has definitely changed the way I listen to music; ten years ago I used to work in a music shop and buy records impulsively. Since then, I've sold most of the CDs I had bought during that time, and nowadays I only buy (on vinyl) what I absolutely love. So, yes, there are many albums I stream and don't consider worth buying them.

 

I’m becoming more accustomed to the idea that I don’t need to “own” the music I listen to.

It’s interesting that with films and TV, people ask “have you seen...” , rather than “do you have/own...”

I buy the artists I’m big into on vinyl, otherwise it’s streaming.

 

I only use streaming for driving or if I want to check something out. A lot of what I listen to isn't available on Spotify, but even if it was, it wouldn't change my buying habits.

 

Could have written that myself.

 

I don't pay for a streaming service. I do have access to Amazon's Auto-Rip inclusions. But, I've bought physical copies to add albums there. I will use Amazon Prime streaming to preview albums. But I generally buy the record if I like it anyway.

 

Ditto.

 

Yeah. The last tame impala album. I was all set to buy it but after I streamed it 3 or 4 times I just wasn't impressed.

 

I now buy very few CDs or LPs because of streaming. Most of the music I do buy is downloads from Bandcamp and Nugs.

 

me too! although i'd hit the used bins, ive been a skinflint all my life

 

Well I guess there's no harm in trying ...

 

All of the albums by new artists I have bought on CD are compressed so I stream instead. The Comet Is Coming and Heron Oblivion ARE a couple of exceptions particularly as I've seen the former perform live.

 

What albums sound better streamed than on CD?

 

No, I actually like having a physical copy of music I'm interested in.