One year without music streaming
My music streaming journey started with XBOX Live Music (later Groove Music), the now-defunct streaming service from Microsoft. As a big Microsoft and Windows Phone fan back in the day this was the obvious choice for me. And oh boy, that promise of unlimited music lived up to it's hype.
After Microsoft shut down Groove Music in 2017 I migrated to Deezer Music to stay true to my non-mainstream (and therefore non-Spotify) mindset. In January 2024, after 7 years with Deezer, I deleted my account. Without a replacement. I saved a few playlists which are made up of singles but did not back up any collected albums from my library.
1999
Since 2024 I am back into buying music – like it's 1999. Digitalized. I do this mainly via Bandcamp as they have a solid and fair policy regarding fees (10%-15% per sale goes to Bandcamp). There aren't a lot of other alternatives these days to buy digital music from.
iTunes has almost everything but offers a subpar experience as you are forced to buy music via their crippled Windows software which was presumably developed 20 years ago. There's also qobuz which is fine but more expensive and Amazon which I do not support.
The scene
I am primarily listening to music from the Hardcore scene (I tend to use this as the umbrella term for Hardcore, Punk, Emo, Alternative and other genres and sub-genres). Most of these aren't genres with bands that make millions. Although one could argue that some of the better known Punk bands became Pop in the 2000s and did so.
I visit about 10 concerts / band nights per year. Last year I attended my first festival, the Outbreak in Manchester, UK.
I love every single bit of this scene. I love the music, the people, the attitude, the familiar environment and that most of us share the same political ideology.
And I absolutely love the energy. Give Have Heart – one of the headliners at Outbreak – a shot. I was in that croud – watch that last song.
My friend, who was with me in the UK, said: This is were I feel at home.
Post mortem
Going to concerts is one way to support bands. Buying their merch and music is another. For me that's the only sustainable way to show respect and devotion for music and their makers.
Buying a Spotify subscription isn't.
They get close to nothing for your streams. ~0.003$ per stream.
And since April 1st, 2024 only if a track has more than 1.000 annual streams.
Otherwise: 0$.
That's why I left this capitalist system and I feel good about it.
Hardcore is music for the people.