3 Ways To Help Undo The Damage Of Streaming Music
Streaming apps are both fantastic and also harmful in equal measure.
There’s never been a better time to find underground artists provided they use streaming services, as the algorithms and recommendation systems are often fairly robust, and there are many excellent user playlists you can enjoy if you’re interested in exploring more widely. With music transfer services, you can also send your playlists and saved libraries from one playlist to the other.
That being said, it’s true that music streaming has its downsides. Artists, especially those with less exposure, tend to be paid a fraction of a penny for each stream given, meaning that their revenue is severely hampered compared to other forms of music. There’s nothing unethical about streaming music of course, the artists always have the choice to place their music on their platforms. But if you’d like to support the industry more and help offset the damage of these apps a little, we’d recommend some of the following advice:
Consider Bandcamp Or Physical Releases
Not all artists will have physical releases. Much like book publishing, having CD’s or vinyls printed can be expensive and will require a certain amount of orders before a smaller outfit embarks on that path. Of course, crowdfunding is certainly a good place to start, but that’s not always possible. When it is, showing your support can have a major difference. However, Bandcamp, a website for artists to sell their music for voluntary sums of money, allow you to send your payment straight to the group in question and gain high-quality, lossless music files to enjoy in your own time.
Visit Concerts
Of course, heading to concerts can be a valuable use of your time. It’s not only engaging but fun, allows you to meet other fans of the group, and potentially even talk to the group itself. Here there might be merchandise sales you can further support the artist with, but of course, ticket sales and showing support can be more than enough for a smaller outfit to feel motivated in their creative pursuit. You may even see similar people at future shows, and that can provide a real bond and sense of place.
Word Of Mouth & Content
One of the best methods for new bands to get discovered, for better or worse, is for social media users to use their songs in the content they post. If you enjoy any of those platforms like YouTube or TikTok, having the permission or the right creative license to use that content in your posts can make a major difference. On top of that, you could spread the word to your friends or family depending on who likes the genre, and promote the band that way. Ultimately, most artists have to make waves in their local area before they gain further recognition, and so you’ll find a worthwhile step forward if you help your favorite artist along in this way.
With this advice, you’ll be certain to help undo the damage of streaming music, and benefit the artists yu love in that way.
