just curious

[lirazel]

Poll #27951 Music listening habits

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 37

View Respondents

Do you use Spotify?

View Answers

No
15 (40.5%)

Occasionally
8 (21.6%)

Yes, the free version
5 (13.5%)

Yes, the paid version
11 (29.7%)

Yes, but just for a few Spotify-exclusive podcasts
0 (0.0%)

If you don't, what do you use to listen to music?

View Answers

Another similar commercial streaming service
7 (26.9%)

My own music collection, whether digital or analog
18 (69.2%)

The radio
4 (15.4%)

YouTube
14 (53.8%)

Library-provided streaming services
1 (3.8%)

Something else Lauren didn't think of (tell me what it is)
2 (7.7%)

Obviously this is inspired by everyone posting their Spotify wrapped stuff everywhere and me not being able to participate since I don't use Spotify. I carefully curate my own music collection in the program formerly known as iTunes (with backup copies on a removable hard drive). If I want to hear a new song without buying/downloading/whatever, I'll pull it up on YouTube or through a library streaming service. 

I am deeply uncomfortable with the idea of just streaming things that I actually love. I want to own a copy. I don't like the idea that things can disappear from the internet with no notice. It's fine for a TV show I'm just going to watch once and I definitely make use of the library streaming services, but if it's something I am going to return to (like most of the music I listen to), I want to own it myself.

Comments

[chestnut_pod]

I basically do you like you do, but I also listen to music a lot on Bandcamp, which usually allows you to listen a limited number of times before buying.

[lirazel]

I hadn't really thought about listening on Bandcamp as opposed to just buying, but that's a great resource!

[landofnowhere]

What library-provided streaming services do you use? I use Naxos Music Library, which works well for classical and some adjacent genres, but I'm curious what else is out there.

I'm kind of a cheapskate, so there's plenty of stuff out there that I love but don't own (especially since with classical there are a lot of different renditions of the same work, and I'm mostly not particular about which one) -- my mp3 collection is mostly sourced through a) my dad digitized our family's entire CD collection back in the day and b) I buy CDs at used music shops and rip the contents to mp3.

[lirazel]

The library I use most often uses Hoopla, and you can check music out for however long. It's got a great classical selection, of course, but it's also got a ton of popular music too. You can't always find the more niche stuff, but really famous stuff, whether contemporary or vintage, is readily available.

The backbone of my collection is definitely all the music I digitized from my CD collection (and my dad's, and my friends') back in the day. I also do the used CDs thing!

[sophia_sol]

I am SO with you!!!!! I hate the idea of streaming services as the "normal" way to consume media these days. I have a carefully curated selection of mp3's on my computer and phone and you cannot take them away from me. I want to own the things I own!

I do use spotify very occasionally - when someone links me a playlist that they created on spotify that looks interesting. but I do this so rarely I always have to work to remember my login information, lol.

And I occasionally listen to music on youtube, if I'm trying to look something up to listen to it just once. But if I like it enough to listen to it multiple times on youtube, then I need the mp3 for myself!

[lirazel]

I want to own the things I own!

ME TOO.

when someone links me a playlist that they created on spotify that looks interesting

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense--I miss 8Tracks--it was easier to use casually, I feel like.

But if I like it enough to listen to it multiple times on youtube, then I need the mp3 for myself!

Absolutely!

[dirty_diana]

So funnily not owning/having permanent access to tv/movies bothers me way more than with music! Streaming is so ephemeral but for music I'm okay with it. I think partly because being up to pull up a million different albums I'd never all own is so addictive? But what you're saying makes total sense.

[lirazel]

I think partly because being up to pull up a million different albums I'd never all own is so addictive?

Yeah, if you're going for variety, streaming is hard to beat! I listen to a lot of the same things over and over, so actually owning a file works a lot better for me.

As for owning TV/movies, I definitely have all my faves on either DVD or my own digital files.

[gryfndor_godess]

I have a paid Spotify account but it's part of a family plan that my sister pays for. Before she added me, I rarely used Spotify because (1) I had access to some music through my Prime account and (2) when running I use a very beloved 80 GB classic iPod. My iPod is SIXTEEN YEARS OLD!! My parents gave it to me for my sweet sixteen, and it just had its own sweet sixteen a few days ago. I'll honestly be devastated when it dies, but at least I'll know it ~lived a good life and was worth every penny.

[goodbyebird]

Except for being a bit slow if I skip a bunch of songs in rapid succession, my iPod is also trudging along! Well worth the money indeed 🙌

[lirazel]

I looooooooooove that you still use your iPod. I used mine until about four years ago (when I lost it!) and I would still be using it today if I could. Instead, I just use my phone in a similar way.

I'll honestly be devastated when it dies, but at least I'll know it ~lived a good life and was worth every penny.

This is wonderful!

[goodbyebird]

Except for the library service part, I do exactly as you do. Spotify is extremely popular, but considering how little they pay their artist I am not willing to give them money, and certainly not willing to put up with ads.

[lirazel]

Absolutely! The lack of compensation is a big reason I have no interest in Spotify.

[vriddy]

Omg I've been feeling like the odd one out lately, never having used (nor wanting to use!) Spotify, and I was so happy when I clicked submit and found myself in good company with a lot of other "No"s :D I FOUND MY PEOPLE!! XD XD

It's for very similar reasons to you, I don't want my music to disappear, I want to own it, and if I can avoid yet another subscription service I'm also down for that. The only downside is poor discovery for new artists. I remember I used to have a last.fm subscription back in the day that helped a lot with that, though I don't remember why I stopped it. Probably when I switched to listening to online radio for a few years 🤔 (for language learning purposes!)

[lirazel]

I am really shocked that so few people on DW use Spotify because it seems like everyone on Tumblr uses it! It would be a really interesting thing to find out if this a demographic thing--whether DW users tend not to use it but Tumblr users do. That could easily be connected to when you started getting online/using technology.

The only downside is poor discovery for new artists.

Yeah, I kind of depend on friends for that, so I'm usually slow in coming to new artists, too. Which does suck, but otoh, there are SO MANY artists, it's impossible to keep up with all the good ones!

[vriddy]

I agree, although for me it's Discord where they're everywhere 😂 I can kinda see the generational aspect, like younger people are just used to not owning anything: music is Spotify, tv is streamed, even files are on google doc with most people never making a local backup and being totally reliant on that one account... (<- that last one is very personally scary to me, even more so than music 😂)

That probably combines with the kind of people who like Dreamwidth as a concept, too. Owning your own data vs having it all sold to advertisers/used for The Algorithm, etc.

[lirazel]

even files are on google doc with most people never making a local backup and being totally reliant on that one account... (<- that last one is very personally scary to me, even more so than music 😂)

OH GOD I KNOW.

[nyctanthes]

I use Spotify for playlists, but that's about it. I have a large physical collection (vinyl, cds, even tapes) and SO MANY downloads that I need to organize in a better way (no Apple music for me).

And of course, I listen to wfmu.org and use Bandcamp. Both are great for finding new artists. Also, I think the quality of Bandcamp streaming is so much better than Spotify.

[lirazel]

Your mix and match approach sounds great!

Also, I think the quality of Bandcamp streaming is so much better than Spotify.

Well, Bandcamp seems to actually care about the artists and the music, so that makes sense!

[belecrivain]

I use Spotify um all the time and do pay. I was talking with my husband last night and realizing that even if I were to, say, take advantage of Bandcamp Friday, I actually don't know how I would listen to owned songs? I know that sounds ridiculous but (a) I use a Linux-based laptop so I can't use iTunes, (b) my current MP3 player is a tiny little thing with a not-very-user-friendly interface (I just tried plugging it into my computer to see if it would be recognized as an external hard drive and... nope, not yet) (c) I don't know what software I would use to organize owned songs at this point.

(I'm a little ashamed now, reading these replies.)

[lirazel]

Oh, I don't want you to feel ashamed! You are certainly not alone in using it--pretty much all of my Tumblr friends do--and it exists and is successful for a reason! I don't think there's anything wrong with using it, it just does not work at all with my priorities. But it sounds like it works for you and music makes you happy, so I really don't want to make you feel bad about that at all.

[belecrivain]

(still untangling the whole "shame" part of it, so this is an incomplete reply. I was going to say that your priorities reflect your values, and it's okay if our values differ, so why should I get defensive? since that's clearly on me. but I haven't fully processed that yet.)

so in truth we pay the $15 a month for a family plan as of midyear, so that the kids can listen to their own music. About a month ago J sent me a playlist they'd made and requested that I burn it to CD (they inherited a CD player from Granddad when he moved) not realizing (because when or why would they?) that my getting actual mp3s of each song on the playlist would cost upwards of $30. (I'm still hoping to do it as a Christmas present.)

(My kid has much more interesting music taste than I do btw.)

I keep refusing to pay for YouTube because I resent that YouTube keeps interrupting with ads, which is nonsensical. I do intend to re-subscribe to SomaFM once I get our health insurance bills sorted out (long story) -- I don't usually discover new artists through them but I like having their channels on in the background while I'm writing.

(edited because I meant to add: Ted Gioia on all this. If you're not already reading him you'd probably enjoy his work a lot.)

[lirazel]

(Process as long as you need to!)

(My kid has much more interesting music taste than I do btw.)

I think this is just how youth works.

I keep refusing to pay for YouTube because I resent that YouTube keeps interrupting with ads, which is nonsensical.

I don't think that's nonsensical at all. The whole point of subscribing yourself is so that you don't have to deal with the automatic ads. Are they trying to drive away customers?

I don't know Ted Gioia, but I'm excited to check him out. Thanks!

[evewithanapple]

I use Tidal, for the most part - I switched from Spotify to them when the Joe Rogan stuff blew up. I do still have a music library on my external hard drive, but my computer's hard drive doesn't have enough storage for it, so I use Tidal + YouTube (not Youtube Music, just YouTube) most of the time.

[lirazel]

I know nothing about Tidal! Do you like it?

[evewithanapple]

It's all right - I mostly use it because it was the most obvious Spotify alternative. There are drawbacks (there are a number of surprising holes in their catalogue, and they don't carry podcasts) but it works for my purposes.

[lirazel]

Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks!

[rekishi]

Oh, you know.........all of it? lol

I have a Spotify account (since this year, because I wanted to listen to the new Queen song when it came out?). I use it very rarely and I only have it open on my laptop (no commercials). I don't use the app. I also use Amazon Prime Music a lot, because it comes with my Amazon Prime subscription and I can download the music I buy as MP3s via auto rip.

And I also buy music. I don't like buying digital things, because in the end you only buy a license rather than the actual thing. So I also buy (very few) CDs still. I only buy digital when CDs are not available, and then usually from places like bandcamp (pre-acquisition by whoever it was). Everything I buy digital and download gets saved also on an external drive. Because I'm paranoid.

[lirazel]

Hah! All of it!

Everything I buy digital and download gets saved also on an external drive. Because I'm paranoid.

I feel you!

[rekishi]

Yeah, you know, like with finances, spread the risk. 😅

[elperian]

I am deeply uncomfortable with the idea of just streaming things that I actually love. I want to own a copy. I don't like the idea that things can disappear from the internet with no notice. It's fine for a TV show I'm just going to watch once and I definitely make use of the library streaming services, but if it's something I am going to return to (like most of the music I listen to), I want to own it myself.

Physical copy fans of the world unite! I have been building up my CD collection a lot the last two years and it's so reassuring to know I just have those songs.

[lirazel]

At least until the CDs start to break down! The eventual degradation of everything sucks!