Why I No Longer Pay For Streaming Services

I used to love Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and every place where you stream music. I thought it was a great way to access your favourite artists and also discover new acts. Whilst paying £9.99 a month to stream as much music as you want is cheaper than buying a ton of music albums, there are several reasons why I have chosen to cancel Apple Music and Spotify Premium.

The artists only get a fraction of the royalties

When I signed up for premium streaming services, I was doing it under the impression that I am supporting the artists I like and helping them sustain an income. This tweet by Bastid is disheartening to read. I think it's a shame that artists don't get a lot for all the hard work that actually goes into songs and albums. At least there are other ways to support your favourite artists like going to concerts, fanmail, meet & greets and physical products and albums.

It’s only the big artists that benefit

When you look at that tweet, it’s only the big artists that are getting millions of streams a day that truly benefit. Songwriters, producers and the label will get a big chunk of their earnings too. The savage nature of record companies have been well documented. From behind the scenes of the K-Pop industry to igniting feuds between fandoms and pop stars. There's nothing that the music industry won't do to gain profit.

You don’t really get the sense of ownership

If I stream a song, I don’t always get a connection with the song straight away. I know not many people buy CDs anymore but I remember as a kid it was nice to go to the shops and get a song you like after hearing it a few times on the radio. It’s a nice feeling having that artist’s record in your hand and playing it on your way home. Vinyls are back in their full glory, and I’ve seen cassette tapes are slowly making a comeback.

Signing up to many can be expensive in the long run

Most streaming services are about £9.99 a month for the average person. If you sign up to several, on top of other subscriptions it can all add up. I think only paying for one is enough, but I know people who have both Spotify Premium, Apple Music and Deezer at the same time.

The songs you want aren’t always available

I know not everybody will have this problem, but this has happened to me several times. I’ve been wanting to explore the entire Black Sabbath catalogue but not all the albums are on Spotify or Apple Music. Albums and songs can be taken down anytime. Some songs and albums, I can't even stream in my country. If I am paying, I want access to everything.

Physical copies are much more rewarding

Having a physical copy of an album is just more special to me. For bands I really love, I try to get all their albums. I feel more connected to bands that I have interacted with through live performances, meet & greets and official and fan-made products.

Do I really need it?

This was the decider for me. I’m not really bothered about the adverts. I end up listening to the same songs anyway and my music players still work. The world is already an expensive place to live in. On this basis, I have concluded that I don’t need to pay for music streaming services because there are plenty of places where I can listen to music.