# Spotify and the future of classical music



## rojaba (Nov 12, 2016)

Just as I got excited about the vast, vast, vast vault of recordings on Spotify I realised how much rights holders get for a play on Spotify: half a cent.

It just makes me wonder how one, as a responsible consumer of music, can support the industry and prevent that the only thing remaining in the future will be "undeniable commercial successes" such as Andre Rieu (shudder).

Do any of you donate to an ensemble directly?


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Well, Beethoven sure isn't receiving any of those royalties, and neither are dead conductors. At some point, back catalog *should* be bargain priced.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I donate every year to the Chicago SO, but I am not sure what this has to do in a discussion of streaming services.
The economics of streaming do screw the Artists, and I wonder that more don't take the Taylor Swift rout.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I am a "friend" of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, cost me a small sum but I do get privileges on special concerts.

I do not use Spotify or any other streaming


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

They may not get much from my listens/views on Spotify or YouTube, but those recordings are there legally, and I do not feel bad using those services. As a more informed and enthusiastic classical music listener, I can steer people to the recordings who want to buy the MP3s/CDs/vinyl of them. I would love to give thousands of dollars to support the orchestras, but that is not my financial reality.


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## Border Collie (Mar 9, 2016)

I don't mind downloads but I don't touch Spotify or the like. But my daughter now listens to little else. I think this is a generational thing and I suspect we are going to see the death of classical music as we know it, as well as the transformation of other music. Don't get me wrong, the Internet has brought some wonderful things but it has also proved highly destructive and dangerous in some areas.


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## Lenny (Jul 19, 2016)

Border Collie said:


> I don't mind downloads but I don't touch Spotify or the like. But my daughter now listens to little else. I think this is a generational thing and I suspect we are going to see the death of classical music as we know it, as well as the transformation of other music. Don't get me wrong, the Internet has brought some wonderful things but it has also proved highly destructive and dangerous in some areas.


On the contrary - internet streaming is here to stay and it has nothing to do with generations. From the music point of view, it doesn't matter what's the container of those digital bits. CD or streaming service, it's all the same. I mean literally, it's the same.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Border Collie said:


> I don't mind downloads but I don't touch Spotify or the like. But my daughter now listens to little else. I think this is a generational thing and I suspect we are going to see the death of classical music as we know it, as well as the transformation of other music. Don't get me wrong, the Internet has brought some wonderful things but it has also proved highly destructive and dangerous in some areas.


How do you define "the death of classical music as we know it"?


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I use Spotify sparingly. Only if I want to listen to a sample of a recording to determine if it warrants a place in my collection. The sound is not to great, little better than using amazon's audio clips.


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## Lordwanswell (Jan 6, 2017)

Talking of Amazon, has anyone used the Amazon Prime or Amazon unlimited libraries? What are they like for classical?


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Lordwanswell said:


> Talking of Amazon, has anyone used the Amazon Prime or Amazon unlimited libraries? What are they like for classical?


I have Amazon Prime. They hardly ever have anything I'm looking for.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Antiquarian said:


> I use Spotify sparingly. Only if I want to listen to a sample of a recording to determine if it warrants a place in my collection.


That's how I do it. In the back of my mind, I sometimes ask myself, "Why purchase this when I can hear it on Spotify?" But personally, I don't appreciate something as much if I haven't paid for it.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

The musicindustry is completely beyond my grasp of reality (if I have any...).


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## stejo (Dec 8, 2016)

I´m using Apple music as a source for searching new music, when I find something I like I buy the CD or download a Hi-Rez file.
Like this way, and the monthly cost Isn´t too high. 
But It´s important for me to grab a recording with great recording and thats what I use these streaming sources for.
For the support to the orchestras I try to go to the concerts here in Stockholm for live performance.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Manxfeeder said:


> But personally, I don't appreciate something as much if I haven't paid for it.


I appreciate when *I* get paid!


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## Armanvd (Jan 17, 2017)

I Wish I Could Buy CDs But There Are 2 Obstacles For Me :1-I Can't Afford To Buy CDs Because Of Our Worthless Money 2-It Is Impossible For Me To Buy Because I Live In Iran . So For Me Spotify Is The Only Legal Way For Listening Music And even to Buy Spotify Premium I Had To Use VPN Because You Can't Buy Spotify Premium in Iran  So I'm very Happy That Spotify Exists Because Otherwise I Couldn't Find A Lot of Recordings That I Wanted And I Had To Download Music Through Torrent Which I Always Hated But Sometimes That's The Only Way To Get What I Want .


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

rojaba said:


> Just as I got excited about the vast, vast, vast vault of recordings on Spotify I realised how much rights holders get for a play on Spotify: half a cent.
> 
> It just makes me wonder how one, as a responsible consumer of music, can support the industry and prevent that the only thing remaining in the future will be "undeniable commercial successes" such as Andre Rieu (shudder).
> 
> Do any of you donate to an ensemble directly?


I support the local symphony and attend their concerts wherever I can. I think forum like this help to expands the classical music audience and it is doing much good for the business of classical music. Personally, I think I bought more CDs after I join this forum. Better yet, these are high quality CD in terms of performance and recording quality. Happy listening!


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## fliege (Nov 7, 2017)

At home I use Spotify almost exclusively and 90% of my listening is classical. I like to go to concerts, though, and the odd CD I really like on Spotify I will purchase.


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