All About Streaming Music Services

[Spotted Horses]

Very interesting, thank you PD . I feel much happier having my own copies of media without relying on an internet connection to what could disappear at any moment. Also having a limited collection makes it graspable and encourages thorough exploration.

I used to think that way, until my physical media collection outstripped my time available to listen, and I ended up with a lot of CDs that I have not found time to listen to. Effectively I accumulated a hard-copy streaming service.

With the excessive collection and the lossless streaming services, I have a new mindset. I hardly even listen to my "favorite" recordings. When it occurs to me to listen to a certain piece of music I arbitrarily pick some version that I have not heard before. It is more like going to a concert, where you are not sure what to expect.

[prémont]

I used to think that way, until my physical media collection outstripped my time available to listen, and I ended up with a lot of CDs that I have not found time to listen to. Effectively I accumulated a hard-copy streaming service.

The problem for me with streaming - other than the problems others have mentioned is that this is not only a question of having the option to hear some specific music, but also the question of being able to hear specific recordings (interpretations) when I want to, and in this respect it's the safest solution to own a copy of the recording. All existing recordings can't be streamed.

[DavidW]

The problem for me with streaming - other than the problems others have mentioned is that this is not only a question of having the option to hear some specific music, but also the question of being able to hear specific recordings (interpretations) when I want to, and in this respect it's the safest solution to own a copy of the recording. All existing recordings can't be streamed.

For example despite it being months since Hyperion was bought out, I can still only stream Simpson's 9th symphony.  But I own all the symphonies and can listen to them whenever I want.

And not long ago you recommended to me a Bach Brandenburg set that can't be streamed, but is still available on cd.

[Henk]

I used to think that way, until my physical media collection outstripped my time available to listen, and I ended up with a lot of CDs that I have not found time to listen to. Effectively I accumulated a hard-copy streaming service.

With the excessive collection and the lossless streaming services, I have a new mindset. I hardly even listen to my "favorite" recordings. When it occurs to me to listen to a certain piece of music I arbitrarily pick some version that I have not heard before. It is more like going to a concert, where you are not sure what to expect.

I also thought the way Steve asserted. It's still the most desired option as a listener of music, but my problem is that I don't order my cds sufficiently. Like I mentioned I couldn't find a recording after intensive search and then I listened to it at Spotify. Which caused me to choose for streaming. Streaming makes ordering easier.

My cd collection functions now as a sort of personal monument, maybe occasionely spin something and, as I mentioned, piano music as background music.

[Henk]

The big drawback of streaming services is that it tends to promote playlists. As long as one keeps playing cds a balance is maintained and streaming services are useful for listening to whole recordings.

My approach is to listen to albums on my mp3player buying mp3s (or flacs) from Bandcamp. It's a pity however that Bandcamp has a limited availability of recordings. I find this ironic. An artist want to sell his music and wants their fans listening to whole albums I suppose and enough people seem to care on Bandcamp.

So I make the transition to the digital age concerning listening to music, which I have postponed already so long. It's definitely poorer, but I take that, since it also has a benefit: simplicity.

[Holden]

The big advantage of streaming for me is that someone will make a recommendation on this forum, or a new release is posted that takes my fancy and in most cases I can go and listen to it online.

[DavidW]

The big drawback of streaming services is that it tends to promote playlists.

Spotify yes.  Qobuz and Idagio are album focused and work focused respectively.

[DavidW]

My cd collection functions now as a sort of personal monument,

You'll have to have your collection buried with you to take to the afterlife like the pharaohs of old!

[ando]

quote author=Henk link=msg=1546769 date=1704652715]
It's definitely poorer, but I take that, since it also has a benefit: simplicity.

Overall, quality is poorer than vinyl or CD recordings on my home system but in nearly every other respect it's been a boon in my life. Playlists are like sidebars; nifty if you need them but otherwise easy to ignore.

But like Holden I'm still primarily exposed to new music outside of the music platforms (member/friends' suggestions, YouTube, library media shelves, second hand music shops) despite their efforts at parading new stuff before my library faves are revealed. It isn't a friendly approach. I want to see my content first and then if I'm in a mood to explore I'll scroll down (or over) to new/unknown music. Subscriber listening complacency has to factor into programming return visits on any music platform. Must say,  Spotify has been the best at opening up exactly where I've left off. 

[Henk]

Overall, quality is poorer than vinyl or CD recordings on my home system but in nearly every other respect it's been a boon in my life. Playlists are like sidebars; nifty if you need them but otherwise easy to ignore.

But like Holden I'm still primarily exposed to new music outside of the music platforms (member/friends' suggestions, YouTube, library media shelves, second hand music shops) despite their efforts at parading new stuff before my library faves are revealed. It isn't a friendly approach. I want to see my content first and then if I'm in a mood to explore I'll scroll down (or over) to new/unknown music. Subscriber listening complacency has to factor into programming return visits on any music platform. Must say,  Spotify has been the best at opening up exactly where I've left off. 

Spotify suggests related artists of what one is listening. I must say by this I do some nice finds. But I also use other sources for finding music: radio program, GMG, Bandcamp, recordshop.
I have some problem understanding the full message you are communicating.

[Henk]

Spotify yes.  Qobuz and Idagio are album focused and work focused respectively.

I want some sense of ownership (like with cds) and pay artists fairly (since I have enough money). That's why I choose purchasing and downloading mp3s/flacs.

[ando]

I have some problem understanding the full message you are communicating.

It's not profound. I just like things where I left them. 

[Madiel]

Effectively I accumulated a hard-copy streaming service.

Which is a lot more curated than the commercial ones.

Or maybe it isn't. I don't know how carefully put together your CD collection is. But I'd hope it reflects your interests, and the complexity of your interests, better than the enormous amount of music on a streaming service and the somewhat basic way that an algorithm draws inferences from what you listen to.

[DavidW]

Which is a lot more curated than the commercial ones.

I really don't like how we have algorithms instead of proper curation.

[Spotted Horses]

Which is a lot more curated than the commercial ones.

A streaming service doesn't have to be curated. I "curate" it as I select items to listen to. My hard copy streaming service was thin (since I was always discovering things I want to listen to that I didn't already own) and expensive.

Or maybe it isn't. I don't know how carefully put together your CD collection is. But I'd hope it reflects your interests, and the complexity of your interests, better than the enormous amount of music on a streaming service and the somewhat basic way that an algorithm draws inferences from what you listen to.

There is no basic algorithm involved. I remember reading a commentary somewhere, in which the author claimed that streaming services destroyed his/her appreciation of music by constantly creating playlists. They made it sound like they clicked one track and were compelled to listen to 37 hours of music that the streaming service picked for them. Well, Apple Music has an "infinite play" checkbox and if you uncheck it, Apple Music plays what you selected and stops. Problem solved.

[Spotted Horses]

The problem for me with streaming - other than the problems others have mentioned is that this is not only a question of having the option to hear some specific music, but also the question of being able to hear specific recordings (interpretations) when I want to, and in this respect it's the safest solution to own a copy of the recording. All existing recordings can't be streamed.

I agree with that, and I still buy the occasional CD which I want to guarantee access to. As an example of a recent experience, I got it into my head to listen to the Brandenburg Concerti again. Using Apple Music I picked them out of three sets which I don't own. Now that I am near the end I am tempted to buy one of them. The other two had their nice points, but are not essential, given that I have at least a half-dozen sets on my metaphorical shelves (hard drive).

[Papy Oli]

This is going to sound like an odd question, but for those of you who are using the Presto streaming platform, is it possible to downgrade the format one streams? I am just doing a one-month trial and wanted to stream some of  my purchases and others on the laptop . It seems to go by default to the highest Resolution available, and for those in Lossless 24 bits, it somehow sounds very "muddy" (noticeably so compared to the Presto samples or the same albums I listened in mp3 or "normal" FLAC on Idagio). I couldn't find anywhere in the settings or account details a way to "downgrade" to the standard streaming to 16 bit lossless only  (I saw it on the Android phone app for offline download quality and streaming too - I think - but there is no such choice on the webpage player...or so it seems ?).

[Papy Oli]

Well, a first on Idagio:

Due to legal constraints, this content is unfortunately not available in your region.

All the BIS Masaaki Suzuki recordings have vanished, including the 55 volumes of Bach cantatas.

I didn't renew my yearly subscription at the end of November as I didn't have much use of it anymore (I explored what I wanted and ended up with a list of future definite purchases from then on). I have been using their free version for some quick sampling since. The above doesn't fill me with confidence for a future re-registration.

Weirdly, I had the BIS Mendelssohn and BIS Respighi sets in my favourites on Qobuz too (again for future purchases and price tracking) and the links went dead too...only to be re-listed under a new entry...at the same prices...

Go figure. Actually, maybe something to do with a re-linking of all the BIS entries for Apple ?

(Idagio has the brand new Petterson box for instance...but i can't find the Respighi or the Mendessohn)     

[DavidW]

Olivier, what country are you in?  I just checked and all of Suzuki's recordings are still on Qobuz.

[Harry]

Olivier, what country are you in?  I just checked and all of Suzuki's recordings are still on Qobuz.

Yes can confirm that, they are still there.