Music News: Subscription music: The future of the music industry?

Dust2

Anyone here use subscription music service?

What do you think? Will it be the #1 source of revenue in the future?

Pay $9.99 a month and have unlimited access to any songs you want.

At least one Music Executive think so:

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/indus...05247282.story

Quote:

Rick Rubin: Subscription-Minded

-- As recording companies and publishers dither on the direction and substance of music services, Columbia Records co-chairman Rick Rubin is a believer in subscription music services. Here's what he told Billboard.biz in an interview posted Wednesday.

"People love music more than they ever have and ... are willing to pay for music. It's just a question of finding the best way for that to happen, without holding onto any of the past… I think people will have many more options and choices of how to digest music, and hopefully the labels will get to the point where they are in the business of serving the audience instead of trying to hold on to an old model. Ultimately if they do service the audience, I think it's going to be a big business -- a bigger business than it has ever been"

Currently offering subscription service:

Spotify: over 1 million subscribers paying about $10 a month (around $7 for Unlimited and $13 for Premium, so average out to about $10)
Rhapsody: 750,000 subscribers paying $10 a month
Mog:
Napster:
Rdio:

For those that use a subscription music service, tell us your thoughts on it. And why you like it?

If this form becomes dominant, how would this be reflected in the CHARTS like Billboard?

Auburn

Quote:

Originally posted by Dust2

If this form becomes dominant, how would this be reflected in the CHARTS like Billboard?

They would be cancelled. I don't like this idea. Not each month will have the same amount of music being released so how can it always be the same price? And they will eventually find a way to rack the prices up and up and up!

Beatfreak

I hate this idea. I don't buy the same amount of music every month, so why would I pay for a subscription? I live off iTunes cards that I buy in the local supermarket.

Bdawg

it'll never happen. Like I don't buy the same amount of music every month. Personally I don't think it'll become big.

Doc

No. The only subscription service I'm here for is Netflix.

If I want music, I'll buy it.

freaksgeeks

LaVitaFenty

Not here for that, I rather pay as I go!

Dust2

Quote:

Originally posted by Bdawg

it'll never happen. Like I don't buy the same amount of music every month. Personally I don't think it'll become big.

Well, it's getting bigger.

http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?s...de=1045687&c=1

Quote:

Scandinavian company Aspiro has announced it now has more than 300,000 subscribers for its WiMP streaming music service.

WiMP is live in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Portugal. The company recently announced that it will launch in Ireland in the autumn.

At the start of the year it has 100,000 subscribers, doubling this to 200,000 by May.

Spotify currently has 1m paying subscribers across seven European markets while Deezer, following a carrier partnership with Orange, has 800,000 subscribers in France.

USA: about 2 million paying subscribers for subscription music
France: 800,000 paying subscribers

Spotify/seven European markets: over 1 million paying subscribers
Aspiro WiMP: 300,000 paying subscribers in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Portugal

There are currently about 6 million paying subscribers worldwide.

6 millions x $10 a month x 12 months a year = $720 million. The thing is that it is GROWING.

Physical Albums have been on decline. Digital Songs are only increasing slowly. Music subscription is on the up. Smart phones will provide a big helping hand toward subscription music.

And when phone carriers jump into the fray, it will take off. For example, pay $55 a month to get UNLIMITED talk, text, web AND MUSIC like some companies are doing.

myboybuildscoffin

I don't buy digital ****, I buy physical format.