There has been a noticeable uptick this year in the number of bloggers encouraging their readers to quit Spotify. This makes sense, as there are plenty good reasons to quit Spotify (ranging from its failure to pay artists fairly to its CEO’s reprehensible decision to invest in an AI military startup). What I don’t get, though, is why so many bloggers are promoting supposedly “better” streaming alternatives instead of encouraging us to consider leaving music subscription services behind entirely.
It took me a while to come around to this point of view (I myself only quit Spotify earlier this year), but here it is: streaming music sucks for almost everyone involved. I believe we only do it because we’ve allowed ourselves to be convinced that renting music indefinitely is cheaper than purchasing it outright – especially since streaming companies grant us the equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet with our subscriptions.
Subscription services are a scam through and through. It is wild that so many have become complacent enough to pay over and over again for the same content.
I’m happy about the use of “renting” here, because that is what it is. And if you’ve rented it for long enough, you have paid considerably more than the (already inflated) market price to buy it – but still don’t own it.