We want to weigh in on streaming…

Posted on | December 13, 2011 2 Comments

There is one reason that we now own the new Black Keys album, “El Camino“, on vinyl. We streamed it on MOG last Tuesday and fell in love with it.

(Ed. Note- This really is a tremendous album and our hats go off to Messers Carney, Auerbach, Burton and all involved.)

That said, as last week progressed, “El Camino” was pulled from virtually all of the major streaming services including MOG, Rdio, and Spotify. It would seem that now, the only digital option for hearing the record in its entirety is iTunes.

By no means are we upset with the Black Keys per se. They have clearly decided to pursue a release strategy that is more sales focused, and with “El Camino” currently sitting amongst the top spots on the iTunes chart, this decision is probably paying off. Coldplay took the same approach with their newest release, Mylo Xyloto.

Instead, what we’re concerned with is a growing trend or perspective that views legal streaming services in a negative light. One of the things that we’re really excited about in today’s burgeoning Internet Era is accessibility- the potential to hear something, see something, or discover something new and exciting because it is findable, playable, and sharable.

Does Spotify cannibalize album sales? Probably. But maybe that is only for one sub-set of casual music fans? We, the voraciously music obsessed, still by lots of physical product. So do our friends.

Bottom line, for us, streaming can be a great way to discover new music. Spotify has become almost an indispensable tool in the studio to listen to tracks with clients and discuss sonic approaches to production. Could we follow our favorite artists on Twitter or other social networks and access new music directly form an artist’s website? Sure, but that would assume that we (and all music fans in general) are inherently socially connected to a diverse pool of artists wherein new music is automatically landing in our in-boxes.

The unanswered industry question is still about discovery- what about the music you’re not already “Following” or “Liking”? With Mog or Spotify, users can log into the system every Tuesday and start exploring new releases that they may not have been previously aware of. This opportunity can create new fans and lead to further monetization. And, streaming is still a financially compensated activity unlike file-sharing.

Granted, there are quite a few people upset about the payouts form today’s streaming services, but then again, when did anyone complain about the payouts from one specific radio station? And, we’re continuing to learn about the almost prohibitive costs of building a compelling music service. We’re lucky we have what we do…

This issue is highly complex and we don’t pretend to have an answer. We simply wanted to weigh in on the potential that music streaming, accessibility, and discovery can lead to new fans, physical sales and other income.

We love the Black Keys, we love music, and we’re excited about what our digitally connected world may hold for musicians, producers, filmmakers, educators, and creators of every ilk. Here’s to the technology that may support their careers in the very near future…

You have managed to find NoWare. We are a music based creative house located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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