Streaming Is Killing Music | Alan Cross | TEDxWinnipeg

Technology is changing the very nature of not just music consumption but how music is written and produced. People need to know that they're being both manipulated by music technology and missing out on a full music experience. Alan Cross shares the subtleties of today's music delivery systems and questions what it means for the future of music. Alan Cross is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker.
In his nearly 40 years in the broadcasting and music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock and is also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like the long-running show, The Ongoing History of New Music.
Outside of radio, Alan’s resume includes four books, dozens of public speaking engagements, a national music column for GlobalNews.ca, voicework for film, and television, plus creating content for various film and TV studios, record labels, artist management companies, streaming music services like Spotify and a travelling museum exhibit called The Science of Rock’n’Roll.
Alan is also sought after as a consultant for radio content. His current client is 102.1 the Edge/Toronto. One of his companies, Major League Mixes, provided music advice for professional sports teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@floofiests]

The one thing I don't like about streaming is the lack of recognition for the people who actually write the songs and lyrics

[@floofiests]

@S. That's really cool, I had no idea about that. Shame it's not more obvious though :(

[@chriswoosley3883]

or like them GETTING PAID properly,Spotify are pirates,they had no hand in the creation of it,yet benefit the most,...it has to change

[@Bigdaddymittens]

Honestly, though, streaming/subscription services definitely makes it harder to appreciate media. When I download a game from Xbox game pass, I don't feel as motivated to stick with it, because there are so many other titles that can satisfy my needs perfectly. They're catering to you. It's entirely on your own terms. That sounds good, but it devalues. You get lazy, because you no longer have to meet it on equal terms. That makes it harder to gain an appreciation for new things.

[@piotrgoacki9070]

That's actually good point if you consider buying CDs. I very often find that after first listening I almost never like a music recording, but I keep listening and more often than not I enjoy the CD in its entirety. With streaming I need to somehow force myself to listen to a stremed LP there. But I find it somehow easier perhaps due to past experience with CDs. Anyway I'm a fan of streaming such as Spotify as it actually is quite good at finding the right mach to my musical taste and the music is more accessible, but not everything is there

[@Bigdaddymittens]

@@piotrgoacki9070 Yeah, I use Spotify all the time too. I just noticed that it has made me lazy in a sense. There's just something about owning the media you consume.

[@AlejandroHraV]

I feel the same, I didn’t think It that way with my Xbox , You right

[@jacobjb]

That's why I collect physical games and buy cassettes and vinyl.

[@jacobjb]

@@piotrgoacki9070 I like to use streaming to find new music to buy on physical formats. It's a great way to find things.

[@therealgingerboy2215]

This was actually pretty well structured. I didn't know how to think because of the title, but he had some valid points.

[@tangentquo7996]

He has many very easy to listen to, intriguing broadcasts.

[@MedalionDS9]

Alan Cross has been a Radio host with his own radio show for decades... structuring talks like this is old hat to him.

[@brxnv_]

Killing music? Thanks to it, i began to enjoy countless other genres of music that i wouldn't even dream to listen

[@micamarayvos]

yes, but it's really hard to remember the artist's names or albums, they are just nameles music. For me youtube wins here, once in a while the algorith recommends an album, or a tiny desk performance or a Cercle show, long complex experiences created by a single artist or group, not just a mix of random songs that sound similar like "lo fi hip hop radio"

[@iamsoithink1]

Alan Cross is an amazing piece of Music history himself. Wonderful work

[@RpattoYT]

This guys got the problem backwards, there's always been isolated communities of thought, music, biased news, etc. The technology didn't create this "problem", people did. Technology has exposed human behaviour for what it is, there nothing wrong will freedom of association, but it' is helpful for the disassociated to at-least be aware something else exists outside.

[@SLR_96]

A very interesting point... Thank you

[@adams.george]

Is it just me, or do people still listen to music via mp3/flac/wav etc files in their phone?

[@bobmatron]

still got my ipod classic, headphone zombie till I die

[@maxtheawesome4255]

I use mp3's because the internet is too volatile and I don't trust music companies. Everything you buy and use online only is really only "renting". When they decide to pull the plug, its all gone. Same with artists who like removing all their music when they give up, etc etc. I can only count on my own backup of the files. That also means I can easily modify them for my own personal needs, and also doesn't require an internet connection.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Yea, it's you. People who have excellent hearing still listen to music on record albums. The technology is not a problem, the problem is the greed of those who use artists to make themselves rich at any cost to the artist and the audience. Nothing has changed.

[@thaliaviolet5344]

Me and i was born in 2005...

[@prasantsingh4891]

I listen using hi res player

[@Lenny-zn8hn]

back then you had to SELL ACTUAL CDs to go gold or platinum. now a couple of fake clicks and BOOM.

[@remyhanna5826]

I mean the stores controlled the type of music allowed on the shelves and it was mostly what was on the radio, which was paid to be there by their record companies.

[@kingofkleen1]

I really do miss not being able to see the albums and find out who played that lead or sang that song and what the song is about and who wrote it and when. I wondered why I was hanging on to my huge CD collection and now I have a good reason. He's right about Jazz. People today don't understand music and won't listen because they don't get it.

[@cubewizard4366]

I like the history, but streaming is awesome. I listen to so many artists on Spotify that I probably wouldn’t have found otherwise. Merchandise and concert tickets are how musicians make money.

[@amber847]

he isnt saying that streaming isn't awesome, just that its effecting how music is being made

[@cubewizard4366]

Amber G yeah for top 100 pop music, for the most part the stuff I listen to doesn’t fall into that category.

[@amber847]

@@cubewizard4366 me neither! but that means that the type if music you listen to has less of a chance of being fairly compensated by the platform. Not only doesnt spotify's 30sec payout rule make it less likely for not pop music to get paid, but this influences the likelihood that non mainstream music that doesnt follow spotify's preference for payout and length of music, will make it into auto generated playlists that give artists the best chance of gaining revenue on the platform. So not only is it incentivizing mainstream pop to become more homogeneous, but its incentivizing other types of artists to follow this trend if they actually want to get paid. I love streaming services and I've found a lot of new music through them but that doesnt mean they arent problematic

[@hiphopheaven]

Even if they made money from merchandise and concert I think artists choose be payed decently for the album they made but I'm not against streaming because I can't buy every single album I like.

[@amber847]

@@hiphopheaven absolutely! think streaming is a great way to have access to more music and to give access to music to people who cant otherwise afford it/all the music they want. Lots of streaming services are just taking a way bigger cut than they should be!

[@BenDebayle]

Streaming is NOT *killing* music. Streaming is *changing* music. All tech innovation changes industries and forces those industries to creatively find new opportunities to thrive...and that's exactly what we're seeing in the music industry. Music is thriving.

[@amber847]

its changing popular music to be more homogeneous in order to make money, I wouldnt call that positive

[@BenDebayle]

@@amber847 They can only make money by serving the audience with music they like. What's wrong with making your audience happy?

[@tomogburn2462]

@@amber847 Popular music was always homogeneous and made to make money. Nothing has changed. Stop listening to popular music.

[@amber847]

@@tomogburn2462 I'm not saying it's new, I'm just pointing out how technology is perpetuating the problem.

[@popurm]

@@amber847 no it's not becoming more homogeneous. Music streaming is becoming more accessible so you hear pop music more often. Pop music is homogeneous. One can actually discover more subculture, or obscure music because it is more accessible to search now.

[@andrewtreexter8010]

So the problem here is in pay model rather than streaming itself... What if instead of making people to change their behavior we try to change that model? For example pay money based on how long in terms of time music was listened instead of 30s mark threeshold... Why always a problem must be solved by people instead of companies? I don't get it.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

This is the problem. Huge companies make almost all of the profit to the detriment of the artists, witch then does become a detriment to the audience because most artists cannot devote nearly as much time to their creations when they have to hold a _"day job"._ This is the same problem we've always had. It has nothing at all to do with the technology used.

[@swapiti6329]

Aylbdr Madison Yeah but look at the gaming market, Steam, dont pay well creator, and a "new" compagnie arrived, and decide to pay creator more, so creator move to the new plateforme, and so does the users

[@andrewtreexter8010]

@@swapiti6329 Yea, but users don't like to move to new platform, because there is no benefits for them.

[@chrisbootslee]

Awesome work! This is the best explanation of music history and future that I have ever heard. Being an artist myself, it helps me treat my fans better to provide more richer content.

[@Hazzard0]

Record companies scaring artists into signing bad deals is killing music. Streaming services and artists are the way forward. Cut the greedy middle man.

[@SeraphX2]

Exactly this. People who would not have been able to make a name for themselves have done so through YT and streaming. In the past, without a label, you went nowhere. Also, these same people would have literally had NO income to speak of and would have also had to have dished out a ton of money to get known by printing CDs out of pocket to send off and what not. Now, you record one copy and infinite copies are made immediately to deal with supply and demand with no overhead cost of pre-production or needing to spend money to make the one song someone wants to buy. Anyone saying streaming is bad for "music" is a label shill. When he says "manipulated" he just means "manipulated" away from the old way of doing things.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

I absolutely agree as a musician and a studio professional.I'm 56 years old and I have seen these problems in the music industry for years.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

@@SeraphX2 you have it right and that's my point exactly.

[@SeraphX2]

@franz stockmann You are talking about mainstream musicians only. your startup indie music person doesn't do live performances. I don't care about Taylor Swift. and piracy is piracy. streaming, itself, does not contribute to that.

[@SeraphX2]

@franz stockmann "making a million copies" is referring the the ability of a startup artist with no money to just use his time to make a single digital version of his song and never need to make a physical copy of that song to give to 1 million people. he didn't have to buy 1 million CDs and CD Covers and print and storage and shipping. Money he wouldn't have and money he would have to spend and lose if he failed as an artist.

[@Olando89]

Buy CD’s and stream. If I love it I will buy it. I want to know that I will always have access to it and I want the high quality. They can take music off those streaming services when they want.

[@sharonsees5035]

I still buy ❤️and play❤️ C D,'s in my 4×4

[@TieDyeKitty]

You are one of the last ones standing, and it is a great place to be, great music grows on you, it has to make an emotional connection in order to find a place in your heart

[@kyra7891]

Finally someone is talking about this issue

[@micamarayvos]

IT'S REALLY HARD to remember the artist's names or albums in spotify, they are just nameles songs most of the time, GOOD songs, but they are gone after one listen. For me youtube wins here, once in a while the algorythm recommends an album, or a tiny desk performance or a Cercle show, long complex experiences created by a single artist or group and I fell in love with the performers, I learn a little bit abourd their history, and I feel the urge to investigate a bit more. The equivalent for spotify on youtube is "lo-fi hip hop radio", is not bad music, but there is someting missing.

[@ZefParisoto]

It's a bummer KZbin music pays artists least, at least without considering ads

[@quas3728]

@@ZefParisoto Actually youtube music pays artist more than spotify. KZbin's contents id pays artists least. There are big difference between youtube music and youtube video's contents ID.

[@ZefParisoto]

@@quas3728 Oh my bad, I thought it was the other way around!

[@hereticsshallbecleansed7245]

That's a good idea. "Avoid that skip button" I would've never found my favorite new bands if I skipped them the first time I heard them.

[@RobertVincelli]

Great talk. Love what he said about avoiding the "Skip" button.

[@chrisharker3526]

So that’s why Cardi B is only featured in a song after the first :30 seconds 🤔

[@Chronoment]

LMAO

[@RichardVemvillveta]

Ive got 6 songs on Spotify, wich has been streamed around 50 000 times. Ive made $80. That means if I would have gotten streamed a million times I would have earned $1600 minus taxes. Thats just ridicoulus and although it doesnt bother me personally since Im in all honesty a pretty miserable musician destined to do other things instead, I feel genuinly sorry for striving musicians. Alot of you people here talk about the positive fact that everyone can now release their own music, skipping the music companies etc, but at the same time its these artists them selfs who are the loosers with streaming since the platforms take everything!!

[@piotrgoacki9070]

I wonder how that compares to royalties through radio.

[@RubenKelevra]

Streaming services actually pay most of their income to the labels, which keeps most of it. That you got very few bucks out of 50.000 streams seems unfair, and it is. I think the payout should be used centric, if I stream just one song from you a month and payed 10 bucks, 70% should reach your label (or you). But if I streamed one song of you and 999 times other songs, you should get just a 1/1000 of that 7 bucks.

[@evanbiter5969]

Streaming is helping music but killing artists. Streaming services are screwing artists on top of some record companies doing the same. Not all but some.

[@amber847]

exactly! streaming music isnt a neutral party, in some ways its equalizing the playing field in terms of self publishing but that doesn't mean they arent still screwing people over too.

[@SeraphX2]

How are they screwing artists when those people would have never seen a dime without a label they most likely would have never been signed on to? Maybe things could be better, but what are streaming services screwing them compared to? Just like Amazon allowed people to more easily publish books and make money they would have never been able to make unless a publisher took them on to front the physical cost, this is a 1:1 example of how streaming is changing the music industry and helping out the little guy would have never seen a dime without help from a label.

[@amber847]

@@SeraphX2 in many ways they do benefit small artists trying to get their music on the platform,but keep in mind that platforms like spotify have been cutting artists true profits by lying about numbers of streams and also illegally putting music on their platform without obtaining proper copyright licence ($112m settlement agreement). I am by no means against spotify or any other streaming services (I pay for both premium spotify and apple music in addition to buying physical medium music) but I think it's important to acknowledge that streaming services are big corporations,and just because they are giving pennies to the little guy,doesnt mean they are looking out for them

[@SeraphX2]

@@amber847 That was why I said "things could be done better" because I realize that part. But, I think we both agree, it's better they exist at all to help out the little guys who would have had nothing, otherwise.

[@amber847]

@@SeraphX2 absolutely! and I think he would agree. I think a lot of the discord here is based on the kinda clickbait title haha

[@Axess-sv8nq]

Back when people had to PAY for music, they respected it because they put something into it. These days, they don't have to buy a CD/LP/Tape/etc. anymore if they don't want to. All they have to do is go onto Spotify. I was a performer from the 70's to the late 2000's. I saw crowds start to change in that time. In the 70s, 80s, and 90s, people would actually LISTEN TO the band when you played a venue. These days, they TALK OVER the band and mostly ignore them. 90% of the time, the only people dancing in front of the stage are friends of the band.

[@spiffy8576]

You are so right. You were invested if you had to go out and buy a tape, CD or vinyl record. It is a whole experience and gave you an appreciation for it.

[@Axess-sv8nq]

@@spiffy8576 Heck, in late 1978, when I picked up KISS Double Platinum, I just stared at all the cool stuff that came with the album all the way home from the store in my parents' car! haha! I picked it up with my own money because my father was a cheapskate. And it was on sale for Xmas. Discovering the stuff included with vinyl albums was awesome!

[@markgnarz5399]

No they didn't

[@OrganicGreens]

Record Labels have done more harm than streaming ever will.

[@MichaelDeeringMHC]

Wrong! Streaming is killing the middle man.

[@morgandawn7530]

Michael Deering 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@brandoniannn]

This

[@evanbiter5969]

And the artists.

[@SeraphX2]

@@evanbiter5969 How?

[@SeraphX2]

@franz stockmann Piracy has nothing to do with streaming. You're literally talking about the artists who have labels. I don't care about them. Even if they are only making money off of live performances, they are making way more money than Jo Blo on YT (but at least Jo Blow CAN make something because of YT and Spotify. 15 years ago he would have been a no-name making nothing with his passion for music if he never got noticed).

[@KlausMueller]

15:33 good to know. I'll never skip a song before 32 seconds. ✌

[@johnnydark6876]

didn't skip, watched the whole video.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

If you do what this guy says and explore music outside of what you normally listen to you'll end up listening to CAN. All roads lead to CAN Buy vinyl records Invest in a nice stereo system Set it up correctly Sit in the sweet spot Put the record on Listen to it from start to finish With no distractions.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

No idea what _CAN_ is, but as a recording engineer I have to say you are so right about the best way to listen to music. This is not much different than how we listen to music when mixing and mastering. And digital although cleaner in some ways, is something we use out of convenience *only.* Analog tape is still a much higher sound quality because sound waves are curved and digital is 1's and 0's, witch is more like a stairway than a curve.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

@@aylbdrmadison1051 You'll thank me later about CAN and other Krautrock you discover through listening to CAN, if you are open minded and don't mind straying from the verse chorus verse 3-4min song start with the album Monster Movie track Yoo doo right

[@EuDouArteHipHopArtCulture21]

this is not about music, it's about popular music .

[@eefergezer]

I don't agree with that because it makes music more accessible in my opinion. It is good to be able to listen to the universe from the ears of everyone who makes music from all over the world. I can't stand here's local music bands.

[@PassportGods]

One of the best talks I've seen. Well done!

[@cyc7lops]

Excellent and eye-opening presentation. Thank you.

[@dino_not_dyno]

Killing music according to who? Can’t make that statement for all people. For kids raised on streaming they’re in love with how they channel music through the medium. Not our opinion if it’s ruining it, because it’s not

[@animoaudio585]

There is music i love but won’t purchase because i can stream it freely for the small monthly payment. It is a mindset developed overtime after music got devalued. I have purchased mp3 in the past and I definitely say the feeling of ownership isn’t the same. The consumers "us" would need to change that narrative and I don’t know if i can see this ever changing again.

[@itoldyoueverything]

stored 100+ album in the library, only listen to 1-2 albums a month.

[@WolfetoneRebel1916]

My entire taste in music changed when I signed up to spotify premium years ago. I was finally free to discover what I actually liked...

[@cgluck]

I must admit as an independent Winnipeg artist/band, streaming and the ability to create an artist base without having a music contract has been great for us. And I have talked to so many other artists like us, and it has been great for them as well. We would never have been heard otherwise. And at present, the music services we belong to, added up, claim we have other 125K streams. Now at a 1/3 of a cent per full stream, that is only worth about $1k USD. Still, it is not the money, it is people get to hear us. IMHO, streaming is not killing music, it is just changing how we can consume it, and how artists can get it out there.

[@cemsengul16]

That is awesome. Maybe you can use streaming to get yourself heard and then make the real money selling merchandise or autographed CDs.

[@markgnarz5399]

Yeah, Cross is just a Boomer PR guy, he lucked out in the 90s and has been milking that dead horse ever since.

[@evacody1249]

Streaming has opened the world of music up for every one. I don't see the issue.

[@Bretw4ld4]

Saying streaming is killing music on a streaming platform is ballsy.

[@rawnaqmusic]

Bretw4ld4 HAHA

[@dozy1103]

omg @ the irony

[@tamythethaiger5487]

😂😂😂

[@Lordakua]

If you took your time listening to the man, you wouldn't be commenting on this.

[@Lordakua]

He literally says ''I love streaming''. Don't judge the title without watching the video.

[@MammaApa]

Yeah well, that's just, like, your opinion, man. No but seriously I got into both jazz and prog rock through streaming music services (and weed), some algorithm did the right thing, so I'm not sure how all things rings entirely true.

[@Kris_M]

He based his conclusions on measured stats, and there might be a more complete study behind it. So it might be just his opinion, but it could also be that you are just part of a minority that does get to know new music styles from streaming services.

[@MammaApa]

@@Kris_M Well granted I'm not a casual listener which by definition most people are. Being a musician myself I do however think that the payment model needs some adjustment. As it is now we [musicians] just have to accept that streaming is not revenue, it is in a business sense nothing but cheap advertising.

[@Kris_M]

@@MammaApa I, and I believe the speaker as well, agree on the payment model needing adjustment.

[@nicoleannecollet]

Wow, thank you for such an amazing talk!!!!!

[@cemsengul16]

I actually miss the days of going to a store and buying a new music cd.

[@brunoleonardo929]

This was brilliant and insightful.

[@radiocremebrulee4431]

The title should be changed to "on-demand streaming" as opposed to just streaming. Some of the pitfalls that Alan highlights in this fantastic Ted Talk relates exclusively to on-demand and algorithm-based streaming. Broadcast radio online is still human curated and supports the idea that our tastes are a lot more eclectic and varied than algorithms powering on-demand streaming make us believe.

[@prof.gatualbany8782]

14:20 stats on skipping songs on Spotify 16:50 Old Town Road

[@DavidSmith-eg5le]

I actually will listen to a song on KZbin see if I liked it then I go to track source and then I buy the song and download it and I put it onto a SD card

[@breezyacresfarm]

Love Alan Cross. The guy is an encyclopedia on music history. I loved listening to the History of New Music on 102.1 the Edge back in the 90's

[@tangentquo7996]

To expand from experiencing music as simply a mood reflection, or as an identifier.

[@erich84502b]

Yes its killing movie theaters, radio, TV. We don't have to even get off our butts to do anything. The downloads were the first warning sign

[@evacody1249]

There is nothing good on the radio and they has not been for years. When they left a few companies own all the radio and only have three major labels that control far to much. I gave them the middle finger and have used KZbin, and Spotify to find all the music I love and enjoy. You want to be a sheep and fallow what they tell you is good go for it.

[@erich84502b]

@@evacody1249 Radio stations are automated unless its live news or talk

[@jaykpjohnson]

Great talk! Succinct history of recorded music and good insight on some of the negative sides of streaming music

[@bernardobila4336]

What a great speech

[@mirecmusic]

A must see for musicians producers and writers.

[@loopsajnatilopomsoc5070]

Thank you Alan!

[@spiffy8576]

If I can't get it on Cassette, Vinyl or CD, it doesn't exist to me.

[@jewishcomixanthology2920]

The instrumental intro for Billy Joel’s “Angry Young Man” is almost 2 minutes long. With the way he bangs on those piano keys, it might discourage people from hitting “Skip”. On the other hand, attention spans are shrinking. I wonder how popular it would be if it debuted in the 2020’s instead of the 1970’s.

[@whenlifegivesyouLSD]

Honestly I disagree with him but he made some quiet good points. Great talk.

[@SolarHeavy]

Interesting, but you have to go with change, not against it

[@oromara]

What, there are actually people who skip songs? o.o I completely listen to every song I want to rate in my head, in order to decide if I want to keep it in a playlist or not... even the songs I don't necessary like. phewww.... But I have to counter his rant, and say, that I actually love, that streaming platforms give (little) artists their exposition on the market - to many more people, than a record company would do. That in fact is a blessing.

[@DavidHendersonMusicChannel]

Why would anyone invent a negative cash flow business model and then change an entire industry around it? To get into the Podcasting business of course. Thanks Ek. RIP Spotify.

[@JohnSmith-cb4sb]

Being in my 40's I miss the days back when the music industry was King, but listening to music on youtube is way more convenient.

[@mauricefrank14]

Thank you for an excellent and thought provoking analysis

[@Plethoring]

I appreciate the analysis but I don't agree with the conclusions.

[@camiloarango9943]

There is behind the lyrics thing on Spotify

[@rjs69]

Streaming is great, you no longer buy a whole album for 2 good songs and 5 rubbish fillers, it has made musicians have to bring their A game all.the time

[@Pr0jectFM]

If an album only has two songs worth listening to, then it's a bad album. I listen to music all the time and rarely come across those like that. But streaming is good because you don't have to invest your money into an album that could end up only having two good songs.

[@only1shaneo]

You say “it has made musicians have to bring their A game all the time” like it’s a test. Music is an art and doesn’t have to be perfect!

[@SasoriMark]

But don't those "5 rubbish fillers" one day become great songs? Buying an album is a bit like that, you may like 2 or 3 to start but over time, you soon get bored of the original 2 or 3 and start to find the others have their own qualities, that's how it works... Also, whos to say the 5 rubbish fillers haven't got 2/3 of someone else's original favourites? This comment doesn't really hold up, music doesn't work like this.

[@rjs69]

@@SasoriMark potentially if the band is Crosby, stills, nash and young but for the most part they were awful. I remember saving for weeks to buy an LP as a teen and having many major disappointments.

[@SasoriMark]

@@rjs69 That's fair enough, but I personally love having more content, even if originally it doesn't excite me.... And the more difference the better, there are some songs I disliked day one and still do, but I still respect that the artist created and put that out after potentially putting months/years of work into it. I do agree that Streaming allows people to skip songs quicker, and ignore their existence if they choose/seeking immediate enjoyment only from tracks, but that's just a different way of enjoying music to what I know. (Each to their own)

[@RandomImpluses]

This was really insightful thank-you!

[@spamemail485]

instead of hundred of millions of dollars, these artists are now only making tens of millions. with only two album purchases per month you can help sustain a diet of steak and caviar for a hungry artist

[@amber847]

only a small percentage of artists make money like that, there are thousands of artists who work full time making and playing music and make nowhere near that kinda money

[@ruslana5350]

I rather listen to a 6 minute track or longer, but then I listen to classical soundtracks

[@SpeedSeekerMoto]

I use youtube which is algerithym based off of the songs I enjoy the most. Which actually makes the algeryithm flawed for me because the more you listen a song or genre the more you hear it. Which kills songs for me quickly. Thats the reason Ill skip songs often, its like a dinner I have had 3 weeks in the row it makes me sick to listen to it. So I have to skip certain songs a lot until a new type of music overtakes the algerithym. They need to use more unheard songs that others with similar taste enjoy instead of songs I enjoy if they want more retention.

[@Roan.bot.]

Yeah and money kills freedom. You have enough money you can do anything but you have to earn that money meaning if you can’t your freedom will always be limited. There are a lot of things that we think make life great but their existence still comes with an unethical price but so do most things humans do for themselves

[@admusiclabel]

Terrific and insightful.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Bashing Red Hot Chili Peppers isn't making you look smart, it only makes him look biased. That proves he's not thinking critically. His _"in one ear and out the other"_ analogy doesn't work because fans now have far more of a voice to reach the artists, that's just obvious. That said, *someone who creates something owns it.* But today (like yesterday) we have huge companies profiting more than the artist. This *is* wrong, but that's capitalism without democracy at work. Not the fault of the technology used.

[@HowellConsultations]

Almost 2020!! The next 3 months are all about being dedicated to your craft and to yourself. Hope our channel helps !!

[@nickverando6022]

Great work learn so much from u

[@AlejandroLopez-bt7os]

brilliant,

[@b_uppy]

Interesting talk. Thank you.

[@briansmith2163]

The Residents saw the future and made The Commercial Album. All songs exactly 30 seconds. Came out on vinyl. CDs had not been invented yet.

[@omaroba1490]

Oh lord. Here goes the old man holding on to his vhs tapes and cds lol again. Technology isnt bad. Misuse of tech is bad.

[@yellal.b.c.9979]

You missed the point

[@omaroba1490]

@@yellal.b.c.9979 naw i didnt.

[@amber847]

did you watch the video lol

[@yellal.b.c.9979]

@@amber847 did you...?

[@yellal.b.c.9979]

@@omaroba1490 I Perceived what he was saying is that we are being conditioned in the wrong fashion.. The methods in which we do it can be used either way good or badd.

[@FalardeMusicaeLegal]

Indeed

[@iamanempoweredone6064]

Perhaps one day we won't need music created by others. Emerging AI tech will create the music that will be attractive to us individually. AI will know us better than we know ourselves.

[@harryl6175]

@BLINK in your area ya tech needs to lay of music

[@giulioboobzilla]

Boycott da Spotify Mafia!

[@RpattoYT]

And only you care.

[@cdogggyd]

Technology changes challenges songs recordings. Commercial commerce dictates what the look of the Song delivery is or will continue to be.

[@carlosg8108]

The medium is the message.

[@Paulac71]

Oh Man, he's really starting with the 1800's??

[@davidpetersonharvey]

So, you're basically saying you don't like the young people's music and you don't like the way the Internet is causing problems for the music oligarchy is losing the battle? As a professional musician, studio engineer and owner of a recording studio and learning center focused on music, art and technology, I have to disagree. There's a whole world of independent music out there that is thriving because the big companies don't have a stranglehold that allows them to continue doing what you are trying to do, define the at form for them. I'm 56 and all I see here is an older person telling these young kids to get off your lawn and fall in line with the oligarchy. Music isn't about your business models and behavioral studies. It's about the personal experience. Your repitition model is a common method of the industry to push people into buying the industry's product, doing the same gaming that you are decrying, and it has been a marketing tool of big business for a long time. Theseyoung kids are not going to get off your lawn, get a haircut, get a job and listen to what you consider a respectable music. I think for your own sake you should rethink your position on this instead of schilling for the big record companies.

[@morgandawn7530]

David Peterson Harvey Well said, sir. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you from the kids. 👋🏼

[@KynsonMitchell]

No, I don't think hes saying that at all. I think he just has a problem with how streaming services are monetized, and how easy it allows music producers to manipulate users to make more money. The title is a bit dramatic, but streaming is certainly CHANGING music. But music is always changing.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

@@KynsonMitchell I appreciate your thoughtful reply. I'm guessing you're not in the music industry and you have not dealt with music industry contracts before. I am and I can tell you from experience that what's happening is better than what has happened over the years with record companies. Music artists under the traditional recording contract almost never make money. In Saks, there have been some famous cases we're successful albums have actually made big money for the record companies while the artists ended up owing them money due to the way their contracts were written. We have all known for years that you don't make money on your recordings, you make money on the live tour. Spotify and other services break that mold. Taylor Swift has spoken up for the individual artists against Spotify to make sure those artists received money from recordings that Spotify was raking in the money selling without paying them. I don't know if that has had an effect but I can tell you this, at the end of the day, we have more options to sell our music more options to produce and fewer limitations because of the internet. What this man is bemoaning is the loss of an old and broken system that has kept many artists in poverty. I know of cases where labels have signed artists to keep their music from competing againstsomeone else they were promoting, leaving this artist on the shelf in preventing them from having a music career. This has happened time and time again, which is why a music attorney familiar with music contract law is absolutely necessary when signing a contract with a major label. Producers are the friends to the artist in the studio, not the people keeping them down. It is not necessary to have a producer under the new model but under the old model the labels required it. Things this fellow talked about, like the shortening of songs, shortening of intros and repeated play are all marketing tactics used before the invention of the internet. I repeat in case I haven't made myself clearly, there is nothing going on here besides big companies trying to screw the artists like they always have. They want to control and limit the music making process so they can retain their stranglehold over the industry. I have news for them semicolon that day has passed.

[@amber847]

that's definitely not what he's saying

[@davidpetersonharvey]

@@amber847 LOL! I have to disagree with you there. I've been a musician for 42 years. I own a music and art learning center and media production studio (video and audio production) and I've seen the abuses from the music oligarchy for my whole musical career. Several of the things he blames on streaming services were created by the major music companies and have been a "problem" in the industry for years. Internet streaming and social media give musicians avenues outside the big companies, and truthfully outside Spotify, and the big companies hate losing that control. They misuse the DMCA to stifle Internet competition and get preferential treatment from companies like Google, who take down videos without question if they say it infringed on their material, and provide search services for them to automatically ban videos with many false positives and that aren't available to smaller labels and talent. Quite frankly, this guy sounds like every other industry shill I've ever heard.

[@lukeav6097]

Listen to: Tsas Narand Uyarna. You'll get threw the whole song.

[@victorq5309]

Yes is changing the content and the quality of music. That explain why i always end up listening spanish rock from the 90s, or music from the 2000s. Music was diferent.

[@ShantiPowa]

Great!

[@upgrade1583]

Now i know where 'Canned laughter' comes from

[@georgemsistunk]

From the Ancient Open Air Stages and Arenas to the Roman Coliseum - the forerunner of modern stadiums, the ruling Elites have always found ways to keep the masses entertained in order to maximize their control over them. Obviously the presenter forgot, music was written down for hundreds of years before Edison's cylinder, the phonograph, the 8 track, cassette tapes, DVDs, videos and streaming. New technologies encourage the need to create content for new delivery systems that the masses can access. This is why Smartphones, Computers and the Internet have encouraged the Elites to develop content for new online or Internet based systems. This includes music; as well as, all the other forms of modern entertain that must be made available to the masses so that millions can be indoctrinated and controlled.

[@coachpeso3828]

Killed my dreams! I use to be able to make a living off selling CDs

[@Exodus26.13Pi]

Learning code is good.

[@ring287]

So true

[@theshowlegend9823]

I’m from Winnipeg

[@iamanempoweredone6064]

Don't be denied

[@angieslovelounge6600]

Where does that leave Adele ? Just saying...

[@kenzito101]

Anyone here subscribed to Colors? Or NPR? Or any channel that goes against what this guy is talking about? Cause people are just lazy these days and lazy artists are taking advantage of that, not the streaming platforms.

[@markgnarz5399]

Funny enough, youtube showed me Clown Core and Louis Cole. Thing is Alan Cross' understanding of music is strictly commercial rock.

[@cubimon8219]

Why no seek buttons? If the 30 sec is true, spotify is heavily flawed anyway, as you said people could exploit stuff. Then again world is so heavily centered around money.

[@amber847]

ALAN!!!!

[@Kossilar]

Okay so this guy talks about how all these different music containers changed the way that music was made and enjoyed up until streaming but can't handle the fact that the new paradigm changes the way that music is made and enjoyed? OldManScreamsAtCloud.jpg. 🙄

[@MedalionDS9]

Loved listening to his shows growing up on Rock Radio during the 90's