Support NeoGAF

[entremet]

More artists are on Spotify than aren't. In fact when someone isn't on Spotify it is a headline grabber. I'm not sure why this is the case if they pay so poorly. I sub to Spotify btw

Big name artists like Radiohead, Adele et al, can afford to do this.

Up and comers don't have the capital. Moreover they're trying to get their work out there.

It also depends on the studio distribution deals, if the artists own their masters and so on.

 

[outunderthestars]

I am OK with this. Would have preferred to see the band host the music through Bandcamp as a way to give that platform more exposure.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

More artists are on there than not, and I've discovered so much great music that the $9 a month is a steal, but some of the big exceptions do suck. In Rainbows never been there...pretty much none of Prince ;_;

But I suppose the big name artists can control their shit, and I understand why. They dont need the discovery aspect of Spotify's algorithms.

 

[teruterubozu]

You basically need 2 or more streaming services if you're a true completist. And even that won't cover it.

 

[Nibiru]

Big name artists like Radiohead, Adele et al, can afford to do this.

Up and comers don't have the capital. It also depends on the studio distribution deals, if the artists own their masters and so on.

I was referring to big artists, like Drake, Bieber, Kanye, Ed Sheeran. Sure many do a timed deal where for the first week or two it's not on Spotify but they eventually put it on. Artists that keep their albums off Spotify completely are a very rare breed.

 

[entremet]

You basically need 2 or more streaming services if you're a true completist. And even that won't cover it.

Yeah, not if you're into more esoteric genres.

The streaming services aren't enough for me. I still have buy damn CDs (which I rip anyway) from Japan. Their pricing is crazy too.

The Japanese equivalent of our RIAA is notoriously powerful and they tend to hate non physical media. Tower Records is still viable in Japan lol.

 

[la_briola]

also not on "google play music all access" as far as I can tell

now its there.

 

[outunderthestars]

Yeah, not if you're into more esoteric genres.

The streaming services aren't enough for me. I still have buy damn CDs (which I rip anyway) from Japan. Their pricing is crazy too.

The Japanese equivalent of our RIAA is notoriously powerful and they tend to hate non physical media. Tower Records is still viable in Japan lol.

Welcome to my world. As a guy who loves ambient, shoegaze, drone etc. I find myself jumping through really weird hurdles at times for digital music. I have had to rip files from cassette tapes!

In the end I have Google All Access as a radio service, but buy the album's that I want to listen to.

 

[Antagon]

I wonder how much more artists make from tidal and Apple Music? The payout from Spotify is insanely bad so I don't blame anyone that boycotts the service. If the payout is similar then I think it's pretty scummy. People can always buy the actual album and support the artist that way too. Artists gotta make money, don't see the issue

Spotify's payout really isn't that bad (any more). The payout is 70% of their revenue to the right holders. Really not anything less then any other service.

I can see why artists see the free tier as a problem as it barely makes Spotify (and in extend them) any money and drives down income.

 

[burnfout]

I'm not sure this is helping them a bit money wise. Everyone I know ripped Life of Pablo and AMSP because it didn't release on Spotify.

Not a lot of people will subscribe to two services.

 

[Pavaloo]

maybe theyre still hashing a deal

they just got all their old material back and reuploaded that recently, no?

Bad argument. I shouldn't have to subscribe to multiple streaming companies. I picked one that best fit my use cases, and I no longer pirate music as a result. I buy vinyl and go to concerts to support the artists. I'm not going to buy an MP3 or worse, a CD. I'm a man of the times. Refusing to buy music in a format that doesn't interest me isn't me devaluing music.

If a band decides to release their music on EVERY OTHER PLATFORM BUT MINE, well, that's too bad for them, I'll find it another way.

seeing this sentiment literally EVERY TIME an album doesn't come out on spotify is super irritating

the argument is more than appropriate. talk about entitlement

 

[peppermints]

now its there.

Not showing for me. I see the Burn the Witch and Daydreaming singles but not the album. In US.

 

[Greddleok]

Not a lot of people will subscribe to two services.

You're implying that the people who steal it couldn't have just paid for the download/CD/whatever.

 

[la_briola]

Not showing for me. I see the Burn the Witch and Daydreaming singles but not the album. In US.

Germany here.

Try this link: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/album/B57cafi5cj2vwsy6a7e2a3ylyxm/

 

[Lkr]

Are they trying to set a piracy record?

 

[peppermints]

Germany here.

Try this link: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/album/B57cafi5cj2vwsy6a7e2a3ylyxm/

Ah, weird. Shows on my phone but not on desktop. Will check again in the afternoon.

Good catch, though!

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.c...-spotify-as-new-album-hits-apple-music-tidal/

As a spotify subscriber, this sucks. Is it their free tier that Thom doesn't like?

You can still buy music, even digitally so it doesn't take up space in your house. That's what I do. He's right. All those models give fuck all to artists. Support them by actually buying their music.

 

[cLOUDo]

can spotify just lunch the disc only for the paid users?

 

[IJoel]

I will buy this for sure, and don't really use Spotify but I find it somewhat hypocritical to have a limited digital release with a delayed physical one. I mean, if they were to say: "we want to maximize our profits by doing this release strategy", I'd find it reasonable and understandable. They own their music and they're within their rights to do as they please with it. But the holier than thou attitude sort of rubs me the wrong way.

 

[facelike]

Not showing for me. I see the Burn the Witch and Daydreaming singles but not the album. In US.

I refreshed the phone app and it showed up then. It wasn't there till I did that first.

 

[FaintDeftone]

Didn't I read that Spotify was suppose to be revamping that free tier by severely crippling it or something?

 

[BaloneyFraise]

You basically need 2 or more streaming services if you're a true completist. And even that won't cover it.

Well, Google All Access + my own uploads got me covered. It's bit more work at first but I have everything at the same place now, even rarities and bootlegs. I wouldn't subscribe to a second (or third) service.

 

[outunderthestars]

now its there.

Yep, up in both the store and streaming service. $11.49

 

[Zel3]

I might switch from Spotify to Apple Music, the free tier is starting to hurt paying subscribers like myself.

 

[Deft Beck]

I dislike it when artists gate their content by platform like it's a video game. It's music!

disclaimer: I am a 4-year Spotify Premium subscriber

 

[giga]

You can still buy music, even digitally so it doesn't take up space in your house. That's what I do. He's right. All those models give fuck all to artists. Support them by actually buying their music.

I've addressed the usability issue with this above, but to add another reason, premium subscribers at Spotify are disadvantaged to premium subscribers at other streaming services, despite us paying the same amount.

 

[Meier]

Same here. I just miss the interface and social features. Spotify sucks in comparison. I haven't been happy with any of the services since Rdio went under.

Oh yeah, Spotify is godawful in comparison. I never know about new releases. Rdio was flawless -- so easy to see what was available, always notified me immediately of a new release from a band I listened to.. just perfect. Losing it has been a huge blow to my music discovery process.

 

[whatevermort]

It's so depressing how little people value music - and films, and books - these days. Everything's become (I know people hate this word, but) entitled: we pay little, we get these things. They don't use Spotify because, compared to Tidal and Apple, the margins for the artist are absolutely fucking shocking. So, good. I'm pleased. Let them get paid.

It's worth buying, by the way. Anything you like and want to keep and listen to is worth buying.

 

[entremet]

Oh yeah, Spotify is godawful in comparison. I never know about new releases. Rdio was flawless -- so easy to see what was available, always notified me immediately of a new release from a band I listened to.. just perfect. Losing it has been a huge blow to my music discovery process.

Same here.

I never got the hype regarding Spotify. I only use it begrudgingly now. Rdio was a pure joy to use.

 

[Meier]

You can still buy music, even digitally so it doesn't take up space in your house. That's what I do. He's right. All those models give fuck all to artists. Support them by actually buying their music.

I don't really ever buy digitally since Amazon went away from offering nice deals. I buy records and then use the download code they put inside, but I don't even hook my phone up to my computer let alone move the mp3s to it so I never actually listen to mp3s anyway. Only streaming for me due to convenience. The artists actually make out the best this way -- they get continued royalties even after your initial purchase that they'd never see.

 

[TheMan]

according to an article on billboard yesterday, it sounded like a deal was still being worked out, not that spotify had been permanently shut out. I still think the album will end up on the service in the next week or two.

 

[infiniteloop]

http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.c...-spotify-as-new-album-hits-apple-music-tidal/

"According to Spotify data, Radiohead currently have 4.57m active monthly listeners on the platform, making them its 199th most popular artist."

That seems super low for Radiohead.

 

[Demoskinos]

Spotify needs to remove that free tier.

Sure, if they want to completely alienate their user base.

 

[Roi]

It's so depressing how little people value music - and films, and books - these days. Everything's become (I know people hate this word, but) entitled: we pay little, we get these things. They don't use Spotify because, compared to Tidal and Apple, the margins for the artist are absolutely fucking shocking. So, good. I'm pleased. Let them get paid.

It's worth buying, by the way. Anything you like and want to keep and listen to is worth buying.

Money I spent on music 2004-2014: $0
Money I spent on music 2014-now: $240 and counting

 

[SturokBGD]

I don't fault you guys, but pretty interesting how devalued music has become.

The last gasp of a dead business that let greed stand in the way of evolution.

Music hasn't been devalued, the record industry has.

 

[RDreamer]

Sure, if they want to completely alienate their user base.

And instead apparently alienate artists and their paying subscribers?

 

[entremet]

"According to Spotify data, Radiohead currently have 4.57m active monthly listeners on the platform, making them its 199th most popular artist."

That seems super low for Radiohead.

Seems about right to me.

That's still hella impressive given the breadth of the catalog.

Rock just isn't as head moving these days.

 

[Demoskinos]

And instead apparently alienate artists and their paying subscribers?

Being free is what made spotify popular if they abandon that model they are finished.

 

[Hamster Plugin]

Sure, if they want to completely alienate their user base.

Spotify was already pay-only everywhere outside USA for about two years in 2012-2013, then they brought back the free tier. They didn't really suffer too much of a loss when they did that, mostly just got more premium subscribers (who may have cancelled after free tier came back?).

 

[entremet]

Being free is what made spotify popular if they abandon that model they are finished.

Investors may get impatient, though. They're still not profitable and are operating under VC cash, which is not unlimited.

The free tier is basically made to convert free users to paying ones. If they don't convert sufficiently, you could imagine them losing that piece as investors become impatient.

It's not just about popularity, but making money.

 

[Wreav]

Yeah, it's tempting to just dump Spotify for Apple Music in the wake of a high profile missing album, but when you take a step back, you realize you'd lose:

• Chromecast support on iOS
• A good desktop client
• Echo support
• Spotify session albums
• Smaller local/niche band presence

 

[RBH]

I couldn't wait any longer for Spotify, so I just decided to buy the album on iTunes yesterday.

Radiohead is one of the few bands that I'll buy blindly.

 

[teruterubozu]

Yeah, it's tempting to just dump Spotify for Apple Music in the wake of a high profile missing album, but when you take a step back, you realize you'd lose:

• Chromecast support on iOS
• A good desktop client
• Echo support
• Spotify session albums
• Smaller local/niche band presence

The desktop client is my least favorite thing about Spotify. I dread launching it.

 

[Devil Theory]

Boo hoo, Thom Yorke doesn't think his band is making enough money, boo fucking hoo. Sorry for your meager ~$40 million. Let me pity him as well as all the other established millionaires who flock to whatever service pays the most whilst outputting sub-par (or quite honestly, terrible) product once a year (or longer) for their one or, maybe, two good singles.

Then let's all complain about Spotify, which gives artists enormous exposure, and arguably leads them to more money in the long run through that avenue then just direct streams. Does any artist really expect to make (or sustain) a career living from their music in streams? No? Okay then, go out and get money at a show or sell some merchandise, which is what you were going to do in the first place anyway. It's not, as if, you are only going to make your music available in one place, right?

"It's such a shame that music isn't valued"

Let's all clear something up here: a lot of "artists" produce shit. They release an album a year, with maybe two (if you're lucky) quality tracks that will even exist longer than the 6-8 month average staying period, and you expect me to pay for 80-90% trash you thought up in a boardroom while trying to appeal to "what's current"? Or pay the same amount (or sometimes more) for some no-name, badly produced, made-in-a-can sounding garbage you created in 48 hours on some software? The bar for quality music and media in general has gotten so abysmally low that it creates this false sense of "they're undervalued" -- hey, guess what, nobody has to listen or pay for your shit. If you create music to just get money, I guarantee your product is terrible. If you create music that you love and will do it regardless of who listens, because you actually love music, I guarantee you'll produce quality and will have fans and support. And of those fans who support and love your music because you're creating quality, guess what happens then?! People buy your shit because they value it.

But I guess it's okay to just expect people to prop you up for nothing more than ego.

 

[RangerX]

Spotify have a message up on Radiohead's artist page that says " Radiohead's album A Moon Shaped pool is not currently available on Spotify. Wea re working on it and hope it will be available very soon". It really sounds like they are just trying to convince the band. Maybe offer them better terms.

 

[giga]

Yeah, it's tempting to just dump Spotify for Apple Music in the wake of a high profile missing album, but when you take a step back, you realize you'd lose:

• Chromecast support on iOS
• A good desktop client
• Echo support
• Spotify session albums
• Smaller local/niche band presence

Not a fan of the apps. Main thing for me though is discover weekly.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

But aren't the chances that a new artist's songs get play and recognition higher on Spotify than Apple Music?

 

[RangerX]

Yeah, it's tempting to just dump Spotify for Apple Music in the wake of a high profile missing album, but when you take a step back, you realize you'd lose:

• Chromecast support on iOS
• A good desktop client
• Echo support
• Spotify session albums
• Smaller local/niche band presence

This is the reason I stick with Spotify. As someone who listens to a lot of underground metal and grind, Spotify is way ahead of the other services. I've checked them out.

 

[Ric Flair]

The desktop client is my least favorite thing about Spotify. I dread launching it.

you can always just launch the browser version.
Play.spotify.com

 

[Bacon]

It's a shame they can't just exclude the album from the free tier and let the premium subscribers listen.