Sony Music Investigated by Rdio for Alleged Collusion in Streaming Music
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/sony-music-investigated-by-rdio-908771
https://www.consumerreports.org/streaming-media/best-music-streaming-service-for-you/
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Seeing as how the second article goes into the differences related to various music streaming services, I might inform this entry by my findings on a research experiment I have been conducting.
After about a month of me giving up Spotify to test out the streaming capabilities of Apple Music, I must admit I am not too impressed with the mechanics of the service. Navigating through the massive library that iTunes and Apple have acquired over the years was a bit troublesome to learn at first, and I noticed I would often have service-related problems that did not exist when I was listening exclusively on Spotify.
I do concur that the results of my findings seemingly match hand in hand to that of the second article. However, one variable that was not mentioned was the ability to receive a student discount.
Spotify offers a student program in which, after the verification of current enrollment in a university, the user has access to all of the features of the service as well as many more for half the price of a regular subscription. These added benefits include a free subscription to Hulu included within the service, as well as the recent addition of an HBO service to students at no extra cost.
These additions cast Spotify in a very favorable light, however, as stated in the article the ability to add your own music to your account’s library is very limited and troublesome.
One might ask: “Why would you need to add your own music if there exists an already extensive catalog on Spotify?” Well, until recently many artists were boycotting the streaming services (and some still are, like Beyoncé and her ‘Lemonade’ album). This is where Apple Music has a superior advantage to Spotify, as anything on iTunes is automatically included in their streaming service.
I could go on all day about my findings, my point being that the war of the streams is an ongoing war that has already progressed so far from where it started. If a new player, such as YouTube Music Premium wishes to enter in on this war, they are going to have to prove themselves very quickly.
To read more about the battle of streaming services, click here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2017/12/13/the-battle-for-supremacy-in-the-music-streaming-space-and-what-it-means-for-marketers/#603516e6574e
The first article illustrates that there is clearly war brewing between streaming platforms. After reading through the second article that illustrates what streaming platforms are in play and doing a brief comparison of what they offer, I was intrigued by their selling point of YouTube Music – the music videos. It mentioned that YouTube Music includes access to music videos as well as the songs themselves. This, to me, is not that much of a draw. However, after looking into it more, I found that people believe it could be a dramatic influence that pulls people towards YouTube Music and away from other streaming platforms. Below is an article that discusses the potential impact of YouTube Music being introduced into the mix.
https://medium.com/@tonyvitti/music-streaming-services-the-war-begins-24af57e8a1be
I personally feel that Rdio is broke so they’re trying to go at Sony. Sony is a top dog, and because they might be friendly with Warner and Universal, Rdio is jealous. For all I care, Sony will forever be above Rdio and they’re just fighting for their money that is owed to them.
As for the second article, I already received Youtube Red when I purchased Google Play Music. I think Youtube Music is literally a combination of the two, which because I already own both, seems pointless. It is merely another venture by companies who are trying to get money in a sort of “Streaming Arms Race”. I have no interest in Youtube Music because I already have unlimited Youtube, and unlimited Google Music.
Both of these articles were very informative, but the second one touched on a topic that I am very sensitive to. The cost of streaming services and how many options there are. In the article there were 7 listed, all ranging in $4 to $20 dollars in price. These are only a few of the options when it comes to music streaming services here in the US. Going through the process of choosing a Premium streaming service is a difficult one. I feel that this article would make it an easier process to choose with the help of the pros and cons listed.
One of the hardest obstacles that the industry is dealing with is that folks are not willing to pay for these steaming services. Instead they are sticking to the free versions with ads. I have noticed that it seems like there are a lot of college students that are willing to pay for the service. I’ve attached an article that goes more in depth about how college students are more willing to pay for premium music steaming services.
http://www.musicwatchinc.com/blog/college-students-willing-to-pay-for-music-streaming-services/
The first article further expressed that the companies who have power and money in the music industry will both try to stay in their positions of power and will try to take power away from other competitors by any means necessary. To me it seems kind of silly that millions of dollars are on the table but artists under these companies who provide product and purpose are not adequately compensated for their artistic input. Just a thought.
The second article seems to curate toward the consumer more than the artist which I understand its angle. I just think that the cheapness of these services are at the expense of artists being underpaid and I’m displeased with how little progress has been made to adjust for decent compensation.
Here’s a video that discusses streaming services and their positive and negative effect on their artists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=324TRVpVzGI
I thought both of these articles were enlightening. I enjoyed seeing all the different streaming services listed with pros and cons. While some streaming services seemed to have hit a high point at the moment, this part of the industry is still not mature.
I continue to believe that no matter what streaming music will not be attractive enough until they innovate and redesign. I found this Forbes article that talks about the future possibilities of music streaming while it matures. This article also mentions how we won’t see real subscriber growth until they knock down the price of premium to $5.
Check it out:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbyowsinski/2018/10/21/streaming-music-growth/#2570627e3bb5
The first article was interesting to me as it seemed that Rdio should have just left it all alone. They were already going under so I assume that’s why they went after Sony, but if you ask me that’s like fighting an uphill battle considering the size and power behind Sony.
The second article did a very good job listing all the pros and cons of the various streaming services. Personally, I am a fan of Apple Music. Having Apple products makes it very easy to use the apps because they are already integrated into the OS. Especially on the phone. They also have all the music I need and offer a student discount. Spotify is very solid as well. If I didn’t have Apple Music I would be using Spotify. I just like that I don’t have to download an additional app to listen to my music.
Here is an interesting article that asks the question, “Are there too many music streaming services?”
https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/10/12/are-there-too-many-music-streaming-services.aspx
The first article goes into depth about antitrust laws and what it means for a music giant to price fix and control the market to a large degree, and with currently all the mergers that are taking place daily, the reality of having a monopolistic power in the music industry is not too far fetched in my opinion. I was confused on the background of the issue and the aforementioned lawsuit Pandora faced due to antitrust laws and I came across this article that made the issues much more clear and even includes a link to a document outlining the whole lawsuit with summaries of each side and what the disagreement was. Both links are included at the bottom.
Article
http://www.project-disco.org/competition/041917-music-licensing-explainer-part-iii-uncertain-impact-antitrust-law/#.W-z6AzhKjs0
Lawsuit Pandora:
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?q=pandora+ascap&hl=en&as_sdt=20000006&case=13235626847840283929&scilh=0
As for the music streaming service, I believe the best streaming service for an individual is one that is most convenient and open for them, giving them not only a large catalog to choose from but also the accessibility to have it anywhere and anytime they so choose. Personally, I have Apple Music and I have it because the app is integrated into my phone, it gives a me straightforward easy way to stream any artist I choose, and not only that but the fact that there is a student discount winds me over hands down. To ask what is the best streaming services really comes down to preference and aesthetic, not so much on price I find just because people will always pay for what they want no matter the cost.
I found the second article to be very informative about the different streaming services. I was not aware of the Youtube Music streaming service and it makes me curious about Youtube’s relationship with VEVO. VEVO and its related channels are some of the biggest channels on Youtube. With the new streaming service, Youtube is combining the subscribers of VEVO’s channels into he individual artist channels, with VEVO still having all their channels available through an advanced search. Youtube will still be working to help VEVO’s business grow, and hopes that this consolidation will increase the flow of viewers for VEVO’s music videos.
For more on this topic, check out the link:
https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/youtube-vevo-music-channels-consolidation-official-artists-1202674125/
These articles are very helpful in describing many aspects of music streaming services, from business model to pros and cons for choosing which service would best fit the consumers’ needs. I have not tried all the services listed, but I have subscribed to many in the past four years, and I have found that Spotify is the best fit for me. With many of the other services, I found it difficult sometimes to find a particular version of a song, whereas with Spotify the large number of selections allowed me to find it more easily. As one who listens to music virtually all day long, I have also found that I could allow the suggestions to play without having to search for specific songs, because the suggestions were spot on with my music taste. I did not see this in the article, but I have a student subscription with Spotify that only costs me $4.95 per month, and that is for premium service.
https://www.theverge.com/this-is-my-next/2018/10/5/17927798/best-music-streaming-service-price-comparison-features
All of those streaming services are fantastic… but “The problem for the music industry is that the majority of streamers are listening for free on YouTube.” “A full 47 percent of global music consumption is now happening on YouTube.” It’s very ironic youtube offers a paid service option for content. If viewers hate those pesky ads, there’s always the option to install an ad blocker, thus enabling unlimited ad-free music/video streaming. That’s more of amoral thing though. “U.S. Publishers: $15.8B Annual Revenue Lost To Ad Blocking.” A slice of $15.8B Sony won’t get. There are even Cracked Amazon Firesticks that offer streaming of big title cinema releases before they hit legitimate moving streaming services such as Netflix.
https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/308814/us-publishers-158b-annual-revenue-lost-to-ad.html
https://mashable.com/article/youtube-47-percent-of-on-demand-music-streaming/#rLcshyqNEkq1
For someone trying to decide which platform to use, the second article is extremely helpful. Often times we don’t pay attention to the differences in streaming platforms, and either go with what is cheaper or what looks the easiest to navigate through. I enjoyed the sections about who its best for because it explains who is most likely to get the best experience from the service. While there are a lot of factors that aid a person in deciding which platform to pay for, or whether to pay at all, I believe information like this might make someone more inclined to pay.
Check out this article I found on paid music subscribers:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/20/16339364/riaa-30-million-paid-music-subscribers-us
I found both these articles informative but I stuck with the 2nd article due to the fact that it explains the different in each streaming program. I also think that the age and time we live in that technogoly is always changing and for google to now have a music streaming is money hungry in my eyes. It also shows that we make money in all types of ways.
In the 1st article I agree with Gabriel because I do feel that Rdio was broke and just needed to be saved in some type of way and of course why not go to Sony.
I found an article that went more in depth with best music streaming https://www.techlicious.com/guide/best-music-streaming-service-for-you/
I think the first article detailing Rdio’s lawsuit against Sony was an interesting read. To witness such case and know so much about what both companies are fighting for shows the downsides of the entertainment industry and how nasty legal action can become. I’m still a bit confused as to the purpose of why Rdio brought up Sony’s supposed “antitrust violations” in the first place. The only logical reason, as stated by Sony’s defense is that Rdio wishes to ” force Sony Music to drop its legal claims”.
The 2nd article was my favorite read, as I’m always interested in comparing products/services in order to get the best bang for my buck. As a loyal Spotify user, comparing the other music streaming services on the market didn’t change my loyalty, however it did make me want to research a bit more about other streaming companies and their current status in the market. The following article discusses Amazon Music and its current market share in the music streaming industry: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2017/10/27/report-amazons-prime-music-is-the-third-biggest-on-demand-streaming-music-platform/#67150a346ba3
Though i don’t agree with Rdio’s lawsuit against Sony, I do believe there is a conversation about Major labels becoming possible monopolies. Everything from modern day payola to complex chains of mergers and acquisitions paints a picture that shows how much power some of these companies have. I personally find it astounding that three companies own so much of the music and music revenue in america. I believe something we will witness in this lifetime is government intervention on these companies after they take control of so much of the market. i’ve found a few sources that go into detail on this. Though i think Rdio’s lawsuit isn’t a viable one, they do make a point of how Sony controls so much of the streaming market and it’s perhaps becoming a dangerous amount.
First link about possible music monopolies:
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/are-the-major-labels-in-danger-of-turning-music-streaming-into-a-monopoly-owned-by-apple/
Second link about the seriousness of their being monopolies in the music industry:
https://watt.cashmusic.org/writing/monopoly
The first article seems to point in Sony’s favor rather than Rdio. What Rdio is claiming, that Sony exploited an MFN by collaborating with other music distributors to raise the prices on music licensing, holds no merit in the argument because the specific MFN that they would be exploiting, in which the seller guarantees the best price on the market to buyer, applies to a different market. The MFN that applies to music streaming licenses states that the buyer should offer the seller the same price it would offer to anyone else, so the money that is owed to Sony is dependent on what all buyers offer sellers, not the other way around. While the prices are to some degree set by the distributor, they also depend on the streaming services offering to purchase from them. While it isn’t possible to determine completely who is the right or wrong without information from Sony’s documents, based on what is known about the law, it doesn’t seem to look well for Rdio’s case.
Article two gives consumers a good insight into the different streaming services available to users and useful information that many people probably did not know about Google Play Music and YouTube Music. Looking into Tidal a streaming service I have never heard of, probably because of the steep monthly rates that users have to fork out for the streaming services.
Article one was a little hard to grasp given the amount of information however, it does go to show how a business will always be a business, in terms of for-profit. It’s clearly illustrated that the rise of the streaming industry affected the Music Industry as a whole, even large companies like Sony are feeling the effects of it.
Here is an article that gives readers an in-depth look at what has become of the Music Industry today and the effects the Streaming industry has had on it.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/20/17883584/streaming-record-sales-music-industry-revenue
It was interesting to get a comparison article on the pros and cons of each streaming service, but even better that they specified what kind of consumers each would be best for so indecisive people like me aren’t left to debate what characteristics are cool enough to pay for. What really drew my attention however was all the drama of Rdio versus Sony. I cant tell how valid the claims are from either side since this all post-bankruptcy and selling out, some of that going to Sony. It made me interested in any other legal battles and feuds going on in the music industry.
Here’s an article on the current lawsuits and issues of the music industry:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalentertainment/2017/12/08/music-industry-cases-and-issues-to-watch-in-2018/#64895de35066
I find that it’s a good thing google added the new YouTube music premium to their services because this enables the user to pay for a monthly subscription to obtain music and music videos for one price. With no interruptions and offline service, it seems like this will hit off well with the audience. I just don’t think that having YouTube premium and YouTube music be a separate service would make others happy, because now they have to pay separate for YouTube premium and watching other things that aren’t music. I found this article to be more helpful in understanding how YouTube music would work:
https://www.theverge.com/2015/11/12/9723496/youtube-music-app-offline-background
For the first article i think it brings up a great point about the music industry. Essentially, the music industry seems to be so niche and ambiguous that only the grizzled veterans have the knowledge to navigate this industry. In addition, with the confusion spurred by the move into the streaming market there are a lot of things that people don’t know how to best deal with. With regards to lawsuits or cases of anti-trusts, they are more likely to be able to conduct illegal/immoral practices under the table.
The second article brings up a good point about youtube having an edge on other streaming services. The fact that they already essentially own the video streaming market allows them to secure any music video related streaming which i think is the peak of interactive streaming services, however, i still think spotify will remain used largely because it is better for more casual/on the go listening.
The following is an article that talks about other ways streamers are at low risk of antitrust lawsuits and such:
http://www.project-disco.org/competition/061113-five-reasons-apples-private-antitrust-risks-are-minimal/#.W-2-cq3MyCQ
In the first article, it almost makes me wonder why Rdio even went after it at all instead of just sitting back and letting it be. They were already going down, and by claiming that Sony was exploiting them is just being childish in the industry because they know Sony is and will always be above them. I think the second article was more informative on streaming services and how it explained the YouTube Music Streaming service’s relationship with VEVO. It gives good insight on the whats best because it explains who is most likely to get the best experience from the service.
For more information on the best streaming services and who they would fit best check out this link. https://www.imore.com/best-music-streaming-services-2016
It seems pretty clear that streaming services, just like any retail outlet for music, but particularly because of the technological advancement behind it, has become an area for corruption and collusion. Despite not bringing in significant revenue streams to artists to make a proper wage from the medium, the industry still finds itself fighting against dishonest behavior.
While both articles are very interesting and informative about what is going on in the steaming world the second has some very valuable information. Of course people fight about what streaming service is better and which are cheaper, but no one really knows the facts. The second article touches on six different platforms with information on the price, pros and cons of the platform. Which can be very useful to those who aren’t really sure what they’re paying and why they are paying so much. That is a great article to read if you are still unsure about the streaming service you are using. I found an article named “Are There Too Many Streaming Services?” which talks about the different platforms and all the subscribers they have. You can check it out here: https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/10/12/are-there-too-many-music-streaming-services.aspx
Both of these articles were detailed and shared a lot about how streaming services are taking over the industry. I think the biggest question as a consumer is which one you should pick to get the best benefit for your money. The second article details the price, ideal audience, pros and cons for each major streaming platform. This is helpful because it takes some of the guess work out for some of the consumers and allows for them to make the best decision when deciding their streaming service.
In the article I found on the some more general information on the pro and cons of streaming music, it talks about if streaming services are right for you.
Link: https://www.gigmit.com/en/for-bands-and-djs/guide/pros-and-cons-of-music-streaming/
After reading the first article, I do not agree with Rdio’s reasoning on going after Sony. Sony is a larger, more powerful company and they did not seem to be affected by the lawsuit.
I enjoyed reading the second article. I, currently, pay for Apple and Spotify. So I was interested in learning more about the comparisons between the two and found this article.
https://www.theverge.com/this-is-my-next/2018/10/5/17927798/best-music-streaming-service-price-comparison-features
I must admit, as many streaming platforms that are out there, I am devoted to Spotify. Spotify is very easy to navigate, and though the second article states that the price is $10 per month, Spotify offers students a discount at only $4.99 a month. Beyond this, Spotify has also partnered with Hulu and now includes a Hulu subscription in this very low and reasonable price. Spotify, to me, seems to be heading in a direction to take over and consolidate streaming platforms. (Much like live nation with ticket master) Spotify even seems to be heading in the direction of becoming a label. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/business/media/spotify-music-industry-record-labels.html