Music Business Worldwide reports: “One of the most dramatic impacts that streaming has had on the record industry is been the democratization of listening. The logic goes like this: In the pre-Spotify past, consumers would have to make a committed decision about the next record they wanted to buy. That transactional buying decision was narrow, and largely guided by media and broadcast channels – the fabled ‘gatekeepers’ – who were limited in the number of artists they could recommend to the great unwashed. These days, there is no transactional buying decision required. No consumer need ‘gamble’ their money on an untested new record – they just need to load it up on Spotify/YouTube Music/Apple Music etc., click play, and see if they’re into it.”
