Home
Creators
Search Recent Missing Random
Posts
Search DMs Popular Hash Lookup Tags Random
Importer
Import FAQ
Register Favorites Keys Review DMs Logout
Community
Telegram ThePornDude
Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Do you buy MP3s vs streaming music services? (Patreon)

Published:
2021-07-06 13:33:00
Imported:
2026-09
Tags:

Content

Celtic musician Jesse Ferguson, The Bard of Cornwall asked this question on a recent blog post. It's interesting and very pertinent for musicians these days. Because it is also a question of how musicians make a living in the new music business.

As for me, I stream music on Spotify. I love having music at my finger tips. If I really love the artist (or my kids do), then I will buy the MP3 on Amazon Music. I also buy the music from bands I feature on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast (thanks to hundreds of podcast supporters on Patreon).

I don't buy CDs any more. In fact, I don't want them. I don't have easy access to a CD player.

I am open to buying vinyl, but it would have to be something very special. I don't want to own a ton of vinyl records. I also wouldn't pay too much. The $60 that I charge for my As Long As I'm Flyin' vinyl is just too much for me. Though I guess if there was an album I REALLY wanted... then maybe.

I don't know if I'm just weird or not. But I don't really want to own "stuff". I need clothes on my back, an autoharp or two, and not a whole lot else that's physical. It's all about functional for me. I don't want to create waste. If it's functional, I'm more likely to buy it. I own shirts, coffee mugs, and tote bags from folks. But that's about all I want to own.

So how do I support musicians in this day and age?

Well, if they're Celtic, obviously, I promote them through the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast and Pub Songs & Stories.

If I really LOVE what they do, then I look for them on Patreon.

Patronage is the way of the new music business. Thus, Patreon is the game changer for me. For as little as $1 per month, I can support an artist I love while enjoying their streaming music. And so I do. I send a few bucks to musicians, artists, video creators, and podcasters I love through Patreon.

I love Patreon because it allows me to support someone's art without feeling the need to buy more "stuff". I can stick to digital goodies that don't clog up my house. It makes me feel good that I can help musicians create more music. For me, Patreon the ideal way to see the new music business thrive.

What about you? Do you buy MP3s vs streaming music services?

Comments

Troy Rodgers

I'm an anachronism. I still buy CDs, and I buy MP3s, which I keep archived and backed up. I don't use streaming services. I disagree with the idea of owning media behind a gated system that may or may not exist later on. And on those days when the internet is interrupted, I can still play music.

Karen Carothers

I support quite a few folks on Patreon. I pay for Spotify, but I understand artists don't get paid much that way. I've bought MP3s on bandcamp. I kinda miss the old days of buying music on iTunes and burning CD, I don't really use it since I don't lug around an iPod anymore and I have an android phone. I do prefer MP3 over physical media because I'm endlessly scratching up CDs when I have them in the car. With digital, I can just burn another copy for personal use. But now I'm more likely to just bluetooth Spotify or a podcast in the car.

Marc Gunn, The Celtfather

I don't know that you are an anachronism. But I definitely agree with the concerns about gated systems. From my perspective, I prefer sites like Bandcamp. Where you can download any format you like OR stream it from their app. I like that possibility. But I don't really worry if it won't be there later. I think that's because if I really love it, then I'm happy to buy it again. Initially, I was annoyed buying different video formats. But eventually, I just rebought the ones I loved

Margaret Bumby

I like the physical stuff. There are times I wish it didn't take up so much space, or weigh so much, but things on the web have been known to disappear, and if I love something I don't want to risk that.

Troy Rodgers

Bandcamp is wonderful, but I still tend not to stream. I download the files and play them. It's just more reliable that way. And if Bandcamp ceases to exist down the road (as CD Baby did), I still have the albums I purchased already downloaded and archived. Rebuying products is part of what I don't want to do. If I were independently wealthy, that might change. lol

Marc Gunn, The Celtfather

That's always the challenge. There are so many bands who break up and then their music is never more available. For me, I'd rather just download it than have the physical media. But I get it. It's still easy to lose.

Deedra Winey

I use cds in the car,I have Amazon music where my mp3 cd's are,I can call up music on my Alexa from there.I play band camp music on my computer. We also have a cd player or 2 in the house,but seldom use it.

filkferengi

I buy mp3s, & sometimes cds (which I rip). I want music files on my computer, where I can love them, squeeze them, and take them home. --filkferengi

Joshua Ohmer

This is a touchy subject to me. I LOVED owning mp3s and CDs when I could upload them to Google Music for easy and (I thought) permanent access. When they discontinued their shop and the entire service, and replaced it with the frankly dreadful YouTube Music, I looked for alternatives. Unfortunately, Google's data export didn't actually include the thousands of mp3s I'd uploaded or purchased from them, so my music collection is locked in there. So... That made me jump to Spotify. I enjoy the availability of such a selection of songs, but I'm annoyed that I can't add my own uploads of more obscure tracks that they don't have. And I feel like I'm no longer supporting the artists.

Marc Gunn, The Celtfather

Oy. Yeah. That truly sucks. I fortunately never uploaded my music to iTunes back in the day for that very concern. Lucked out big time. There's still SO MUCH music I wish I could find a way to stream. But I just don't know how

Joshua Ohmer

I've managed to find a lot of things that I didn't think I could on Spotify, so it really is an impressive library. But then there's some, like older Water Street Bridge albums and anime soundtracks that I miss.

Vicki Solomon

I buy digital music. flac, mp3s, wav. VLC plays them all. I love Bandcamp! I don't trust Apple or Google or any company to keep my music safe. I've heard horrible stories about them replacing live recordings with commercial recordings. And Joshua above, who can't access his music because Google closed their shop! I haven't figured out the streaming services yet. I don't want to rent my music--I want to own it. So I'm having trouble buying popular music. The independent musicians on bandcamp, and those with downloads on their websites are getting all my purchases these days.

Dawn Barela

I buy CD's. I don't do streaming or downloads. I don't want to overload my hard drive. A friend once suggested I rip all my CD's to a computer and get rid of them. I asked what would happen if my hard drive crashed and he said back them up!! I told him, I have the CD's!! They are the backup!! Besides I lose downloaded files. I am completely inept tech wise!! I don't listen on my phone as the sound sucks!! I have over 1000 CD's and my collection continues to grow weekly!! I try to buy them from artists websites as often as possible. Otherwise from Amazon. Or at Barnes and Noble and indie record stores. Unless it's out of print, Then wherever I might find it.

Dawn Barela

I also try to buy artists merchandise from their websites. When I do that I can get stuff signed too!! I do have a few folks on Patreon (obviously). I also still buy CD's as gifts for friends. Also I get all my music purchased at Amazon streaming for free. I rarely go there though.

Wild Card

I buy music from Bandcamp all of the time. I have started to also get music from sites that sell singles, mostly EDM songs from there.

Tony M

I buy CDs where possible, and digital downloads (preferably FLAC, but MP3 in a pinch) from (typically) Bandcamp or Amazon where not. I generally ignore streaming services unless I'm hunting for new material. I rip all my CDs (as well as tapes and vinyl records where necessary) to my desktop and home media server, and stream my own library to myself with Plex and Jellyfin.

Tony M

Software you can run on your computer at home, which lets you stream your own media (music and video) from that computer to wherever you happen to be.

Marc Gunn, The Celtfather

Hmm. Very cool. Which works better? I’d certainly be interested in something like that for some of my music.

Tony M

I'm still giving Jellyfin a try, so I couldn't say which is better just yet, but Plex works pretty well for what I need.