In Music, DRM Is Back While Ownership Is Going Away

[latepaul]

In Music, DRM Is Back While Ownership Is Going Away

• Recorded music revenue in the United States is finally growing again, up 11% over last year after five years of flat-to-slight-decline;
• Subscription streaming revenue growth accelerated, more than doubling since 2015. It is now the majority source (51%) of recorded music revenue, even counting CDs and other physical products;
• The vinyl renaissance is hitting its limits, as growth has slowed and vinyl looks headed for a new peak of 6% of total industry revenue.

...
the RIAA numbers make it official: encrypted digital music accounts for more revenue than DRM-free music (digital or analog). In other words — if you define DRM as any encrypted means of content delivery — DRM for music is back
...
now only 30% of digital music comes from DRM-free sources while 70% is encrypted in some way

[Graham]

I've got no issue with DRM on subscription streaming services.

The report doesn't seem to split out the proportion of download sales that are DRM-free.

In other words, on a consumption basis, people now already prefer access-based models to music purchases, and the crossover point was sometime last year.

That definitely describes me.

Graham

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Graham

The report doesn't seem to split out the proportion of download sales that are DRM-free.

Probably virtually 100%. I've not come across music downloads with DRM for years.

[DiapDealer]

All it tells me is that most people are more concerned with listening to music than owning it. Those who ARE interested in owning it still have easy access to legal DRM-free sources. Everyone's happy.

[pdurrant]

I have no objection to DRM on subscription services.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Probably virtually 100%. I've not come across music downloads with DRM for years.

I regularly buy FLAC and hi-res audio files (24-bit/96k up to 24-bit/192k) from such places as HDtracks, Linn Records, 7Digital, Primephonic, to name just a few.

I've never encountered DRM on any of my purchases, just nice high-resolution sound, lending greater detail and more texture to my listening experience.

I would rather purchase than stream my music, since I like to have it instantly accessible. I use my Astell & Kern AK100 II (which also doubles as my DAC, by the way), and my MacBook Pro, using the free 'Tomahawk' as my audio software, although I'm currently demo-ing both Amarra 4 and Audirvanna. Everything is connected to my gorgeous-sounding McIntosh MA7000 Integrated Amp, which has a very natural and neutral sound.

[pwalker8]

Same here. I buy a fair amount of music, a lot of classical, but I also stream music from Pandora and Apple Music. I like having music (and movies and books) available for when Comcast is on the blink. I also like to use streaming music as background music. Each has it's own strengths and weaknesses. I've bought some hi-res music from eClassical. None of the music that I've bought over the last decade has had DRM. I don't see that changing.

[Dopedangel]

Its not just music most if not all media is moving towards drm with streaming. For videos we have netflix, amazon hulu etc. We have game streaming and renting services. As the world gets more connected chances are media creators and generators will move further towards renting and leasing you temporary rights for consuming rather than letting you own.

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I regularly buy FLAC and hi-res audio files (24-bit/96k up to 24-bit/192k) from such places as HDtracks, Linn Records, 7Digital, Primephonic, to name just a few.

I've never encountered DRM on any of my purchases, just nice high-resolution sound, lending greater detail and more texture to my listening experience.

I would rather purchase than stream my music, since I like to have it instantly accessible. I use my Astell & Kern AK100 II (which also doubles as my DAC, by the way), and my MacBook Pro, using the free 'Tomahawk' as my audio software, although I'm currently demo-ing both Amarra 4 and Audirvanna. Everything is connected to my gorgeous-sounding McIntosh MA7000 Integrated Amp, which has a very natural and neutral sound.

I also buy a lot of hi-res from the same sites. No DRM on any of them. In fact you can manipulate them. I use XLD to covert them also into apple lossless so I can also store them in iTunes for putting on my phone and loading on a usb drive for in the car. At home, I play them through an Oppo BDP-95, via USB (a 512 GB SSD usb drive). I wish I had a MA7000 though!!

As another backup beside time machine and an unattached hard drive, you can download a free program called "Burn" and create DVD audio files at native resolution 96 or 192 24 bit. I do this as my last ditch backup, as most of these hi-res stores are not like books, they don't provide 'cloud storage'. You loose it, it's gone.

[willus]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I regularly buy FLAC and hi-res audio files (24-bit/96k up to 24-bit/192k) from such places as HDtracks, Linn Records, 7Digital, Primephonic, to name just a few.

Getting off topic, but 192 ksps?? I can't hear anything over 10 kHz (I am admittedly not a spring chicken anymore). I'd be willing to wager that less than 1% of the population can reliably hear the difference between a 320 kbps MP3 and those HD formats in a proper double blind study. No doubt somebody has already done the study.

Edit: One study (not FLAC)

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

I also buy a lot of hi-res from the same sites. No DRM on any of them. In fact you can manipulate them. I use XLD to covert them also into apple lossless so I can also store them in iTunes for putting on my phone and loading on a usb drive for in the car. At home, I play them through an Oppo BDP-95, via USB (a 512 GB SSD usb drive). I wish I had a MA7000 though!!

As another backup beside time machine and an unattached hard drive, you can download a free program called "Burn" and create DVD audio files at native resolution 96 or 192 24 bit. I do this as my last ditch backup, as most of these hi-res stores are not like books, they don't provide 'cloud storage'. You loose it, it's gone.

I wish I had an Oppo, since I would really prefer not to use my computer at all to listen to high-res (or even regular FLAC) if given a choice.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by willus

Getting off topic, but 192 ksps?? I can't hear anything over 10 kHz (I am admittedly not a spring chicken anymore). I'd be willing to wager that less than 1% of the population can reliably hear the difference between a 320 kbps MP3 and those HD formats in a proper double blind study. No doubt somebody has already done the study.

Edit: One study (not FLAC)

Your argument probably deserves its own thread.

[latepaul]

I wonder how the market for hi-res digital music compares to that for vinyl.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Its not just music most if not all media is moving towards drm with streaming. For videos we have netflix, amazon hulu etc. We have game streaming and renting services. As the world gets more connected chances are media creators and generators will move further towards renting and leasing you temporary rights for consuming rather than letting you own.

I really haven't run across any mainstream music, movies or TV shows that I couldn't buy and own, even if it's available for streaming. Perhaps some of the Netflix original series or something like that. Content providers aren't going to leave money on the table. Streaming content is just one revenue stream for content providers. Downloaded digital and DVD/BluRay are other streams for video.

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I really haven't run across any mainstream music, movies or TV shows that I couldn't buy and own, even if it's available for streaming. Perhaps some of the Netflix original series or something like that. Content providers aren't going to leave money on the table. Streaming content is just one revenue stream for content providers. Downloaded digital and DVD/BluRay are other streams for video.

Sorry I think you didn''t get what I meant. With internet speeds increasing and more devices getting connected in the future they will stop selling you physical media. Just like Amazon and publishers don't sell you ebooks. Just the rights to read them same will be with all other media. And all such media will be DRM protected.