Spotify Classical Selection in the USA?

[haziz]

I have been a member of Spotify (premium) for the last 10 days based on the thread here on GMG. I find however that a lot of my searches lead to records/albums that appear to be only accessible to European users. I suspect it is related to what distribution agreements they have inked in each country. I would have been happy with the US available selection except that since the searches do seem to give you their entire library including inaccessible albums/works, it is a little irritating to realize that often there is a much wider selection available in Europe. Do you think their US selection will increase over time as they sign up more agreements for US distribution?

Also any experience with MOG for classical? They seem to be a direct competitor. How is their selection of classical? Specially also how much of it is 320K compressed. I don't like the fact that they seem to drop to 64K as their low bandwidth option. I do have a fast broadband connection and would prefer a reliable unambiguous high bit rate data stream.

Any input regarding MOG vs Spotify?

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Hany.

Any input regarding MOG vs Spotify?

[DavidW]

Mog is 64k streaming, but you can download albums on your ipod/phone/smartphone at 320k.  The search engine on mog is easier to use and finds more hits than all of the other basic ones (i.e. not nml).  The community playlists social feature I think is cool.  Don't know about spotify, except it should have a slightly better selection (but still crap for classical as compared to nml).

Your best bet is to free trial both and then decide.

[Mn Dave]

I'd go by number of tracks if the sound quality is the same. How many does each claim to have?

[DavidW]

I'd go by number of tracks if the sound quality is the same. How many does each claim to have?

I think spotify actually wins for sound quality... the mobile streaming (ipods, iphones, smartphones etc) is always 64k, only pc streaming and mobile downloads are at 320k.

[stingo]

Yeah, but Spotify in the US doesn't really have a big selection in classical that I could see. Rhapsody is better on that score.

[Mn Dave]

I can usually find at least one version of a piece and many times multiple.

[stingo]

I can usually find at least one version of a piece and many times multiple.

Yeah I am getting better at searching but Rhapsody still has more/better classical stations.

[Holden]

I'm using MOG and find the sound quality for streaming audio to be only dependent on the source. That said, I only heard Spotify's free version and the sound on that was very low bandwidth.

I have found an inexpensive solution to the current laws that do not allow copyright recordings in the US and Australia (and one or two other places) to be played. For the princely sum of $39 I have now got my own VPN (mine's from Witopia) that allows me to appear to be online from anywhere around the world that I choose. For example, I could not join MOG if I wasn't a US citizen. That was solved via the VPN by connecting via one of the US links. All I needed from there was a US zip code and a street address and I was signed up. The company don't care as I am paying my subs, the musicians are getting their copyright fees and I am getting access to the music I want to listen to - a win/win/win situation all round. I am not sure of the legalities of it but as I'm not robbing anyone then who cares?

The other plus about a VPN is that my surfing habits can no longer be monitored via Google, etc and in today's world of identity theft this makes me much safer. I know it works because let's say I go online via Warsaw, then all my Google searches have a distinctive Polish predilection.

[jut1972]

I think spotify actually wins for sound quality... the mobile streaming (ipods, iphones, smartphones etc) is always 64k, only pc streaming and mobile downloads are at 320k.

Spotify streaming is also available at 320kb.  You have to activate it under settings.

[Holden]

This morning Kristian Bezuidenhout's Mozart recordings were discussed in the Purchases thread, and I was pretty sure that the first three volumes of the sonatas were on Spotify and that I have playlisted them.  But when I went to look they were not there.

Has anyone else noticed what appears to be disappearing albums?

I found one from 2011 it includes K310 and K 457 plus the Fantasia that seems to go with the C minor sonata as a matter of course nowadays. This is Spotify from Australia

[Johnll]

Very disconcerting to see recordings disappear from the library.

FWIW MOG has added a number of things from 2013 but 5-10% of the recordings I have play-listed over the past two years are now missing. You are not alone.

[Holden]

Youtube does have him.

from what I gather the likes of MOG and Spotify have a licensing agreement with the people responsible for the music on their system. I'd say that Bezuidenhout withdrew permission for that. No such agreement for Youtube

[The new erato]

FWIW MOG has added a number of things from 2013 but 5-10% of the recordings I have play-listed over the past two years are now missing. You are not alone.

Many smaller labels are pulling discs from streaming services claiming that they have data verifying that loss from CD sales of streaming titles are far larger than income from streaming.

[Johnll]

Many smaller labels are pulling discs from streaming services claiming that they have data verifying that loss from CD sales of streaming titles are far larger than income from streaming.

I suspect you are correct but it is both smaller and larger labels in my experience. I have asked MOG to raise their prices from $5/month to keep the music and would it not be nice to bump the bit rate to 480 kbps. For me $15/month would be fine (200% increase) but I do not believe this will happen as a classical music fan, not using mobile devices, and a semi audiophile I am a very small percentage of their market.