With a swipe and a tap, you can hear almost any song written from nearly any time and place. The choice of how to listen seems so obvious. Why would we intentionally choose to go back to older formats?
With profits in the music industry continuing to grow rapidly, it’s become apparent to those paying close attention that streaming music services are not the only ones benefiting from these profits. According to the latest data published by the RIAA Music Sales Database, profits for records, CDs, and even cassettes are peaking at a rate that hasn’t been seen since 1984. It’s clear that physical media is making a massive comeback. Why, after the past four decades, is physical media just now beginning to peak in popularity among consumers again? There has been a big resurgence among consumers toward the music formats of the past.Many consumers are beginning to realize that streaming has a variety of flaws along with its many benefits. After all, why would someone choose to engage with music through such an archaic method? Why listen to a record and worry about the track skipping, or worry about your compact disc scratching, when you could pull out your phone and play any song instantaneously?
It’s worth noting that streaming brings remarkable convenience, such as easy access to music, great recommendations, and practicality. It’s also worth noting the negatives that come along with it, such as streaming services forcing people into paying monthly for the convenience of listening to music, not owning your music, and your favorite album potentially disappearing due to a copyright dispute with the musicians or a rebrand of their image. Additionally, streaming services can create a hostile listening experience for users on a basic plan by limiting the ability to like or skip songs and playing ads throughout the listening experience. These issues have caused many consumers to reduce how much they stream music online and switch to alternative methods.
Artists typically profit from various sources, such as merchandise sales, streaming services, and live performances. However, it’s important to note that the money gained from these sales often trumps the amount earned from music streaming services. For instance, streaming services like Spotify often pay pennies on the dollar. As seen in a Business Insider article published on Feb. 4, 2021, it’s clear that streaming services pay very little per song streamed. When you realize that record labels also take a cut of the profits from streaming, it can be nearly impossible for smaller artists to make a sizable profit. Selling music merchandise can be a good way to supplement this limited income stream.
However, the price isn’t the only reason why many people are jumping over to CDs and records again. There’s a major connection between listeners and the way they choose to listen. It’s apparent that a plethora of fans tend to connect more with music through a physical medium as they feel more “involved” in their listening experience. By choosing to make a conscious decision to listen to a specific artist, as opposed to merely shuffling through some liked songs on their respective music streaming services, they engage in a hands-on process to appreciate their music compared to simply hitting the play button on their streaming service of choice. It’s the difference between active listening and passive listening.
Not to mention the special features that can come with a record or an artist’s CD, such as an exclusive song on the record version of an album or CDs where the cover turns into a mini fold-out poster, booklet, or gatefold. These special features often provide a rich amount of information that fans wouldn’t otherwise know about the album and its creation, resulting in a more immersive experience compared to streaming.It’s important to realize that, at the end of the day, while streaming can be great and convenient, it’s also important to support artists by attending their concerts when possible, listening to their new music, and keeping up with their work on social media.So the next time you consider picking up your phone and pressing play, maybe play a record or a compact disc instead. Or make a choice to start buying from a local music store. In any case, it doesn’t matter how you listen to the artists you love—just enjoy their music.
I'm from Plano, Texas. As an advanced technical theater student at Plano East Senior High, I have a deep passion for physical media, particularly collecting records and CDs. I'm also an avid member of my high school's tech crew, where I spend much of my time building and assembling, which fuels my creativity. When I'm not in the classroom shop crafting the next set piece, you can find me vibing to the eclectic sounds of Le Tigre, They Might Be Giants, and Mazzy Star.
