The Downside of Music Streaming Services: A Deep Dive
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Chapter 1: The Inconvenience of Streaming Music
The current trend of music consumption is characterized by convenience and affordability. This succinctly captures the essence of platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music, where a subscription fee grants you access to your playlists from virtually anywhere.
I am passionate about music and have curated extensive playlists containing hundreds of tracks. However, the offerings from these streaming platforms fall short of my expectations.
Initially, my frustrations began with Google Music. The service functioned adequately, allowing me to compile over 500 songs into meticulously organized playlists designed to evoke specific moods. The preservation of both the songs and their sequence was crucial to me.
Unfortunately, Google decided to discontinue the service, leaving me to figure out how to transfer my playlists elsewhere. Although I discovered some paid tools for playlist extraction, the resulting exports often did not maintain the original song order I had painstakingly arranged.
Furthermore, transferring these playlists to other platforms like Spotify proved challenging. I frequently encountered missing tracks, and the order was often disrupted. Additionally, there was no notification about songs that couldn’t be imported, making it difficult for me to track down the missing pieces. YouTube Music compounded the issue by attempting to replace missing songs with vastly different alternatives.
As a result, I have spent the last two years transferring my music one song at a time, and so far, I have only managed to move about 100 out of over 400 remaining tracks.
Section 1.1: My Experience with Spotify
Currently, I am utilizing Spotify, where I have managed to gather a respectable collection of over 100 songs. The application generally performs well, although it sometimes experiences glitches and pop-ups.
However, I strongly dislike how both Spotify and Google Music manipulate the randomization feature. For a detailed exploration of this issue, you can find more information here. To sum it up, the random feature does not function as intended. When I select the random option, I expect to hear a diverse selection of songs from my playlist. Unfortunately, both services have opted to prioritize tracks I have previously played, thereby undermining the discoverability of my carefully curated music.
In reality, I want to listen to all the songs in my collection, and it frustrates me that service providers make these decisions on my behalf.
Subsection 1.1.1: The Shift from Ownership to Subscription
Section 1.2: The Trade-offs of Streaming Services
The diagram below outlines the current state of music management:
Before the advent of streaming services, users owned music files and licenses to play them, giving them complete control. You could transfer your music files to new devices without interference from third parties. While options like Winamp offered limited customization, they still provided a more satisfying experience compared to today's streaming platforms.
Streaming services introduced a significant advantage: the ability to access music anywhere, whether on a computer, smartphone, or smart appliance. However, this convenience comes at a price—beyond just the subscription fee. Users forfeit:
- Ownership of the music player
- Control over the music player
- Ownership of music files
- Control over music files
The consequences of this lack of ownership became evident when my playlists were lost due to a service shutdown by Google, a major player in the tech industry. This experience highlights the inherent risks of relying on Software as a Service (SaaS).
Moreover, streaming platforms typically provide a minimal user experience. In the competitive landscape of streaming services, maintaining low costs often leads to reduced features and functionalities. This ultimately results in users settling for a service that offers only the bare essentials.
It's disappointing because I anticipated a richer music experience, complete with various features, customizations, and a vibrant ecosystem tailored to my preferences. However, in the realm of SaaS, such expectations seem unattainable.
Some might argue that streaming services offer appealing features, but do users genuinely have control over them? Today’s enjoyable feature could be gone tomorrow if the provider deems it unprofitable.
Additionally, music streaming services strip users of music ownership rights. In the past, you could easily transfer your music to a new device; with streaming, quitting a service often means losing access to your music library.
For the same amount spent on streaming subscriptions, you could purchase music licenses online and enjoy them independently, albeit with some limitations on accessibility.
Chapter 2: The Problems with Bundling Music and Services
The first video titled Music Streaming is Dying, and You Should Care... discusses the ongoing decline of streaming services and why it matters to listeners.
The second video, Should You Withhold Your Music from Streaming?? - Here's why I think you shouldn't..., explores the implications of withholding music from streaming platforms and why it may not be the best choice.
In conclusion, the bundling of music players with streaming services leads to an unsatisfactory experience for users, with little benefit to anyone involved. Music streaming services can stifle creativity and provide a subpar experience while failing to fairly compensate artists.