Streaming is the most popular method of listening to music right now. Prior to that we had 78s, 45s, albums, 8 tracks, cassettes, CDs, and downloading, among other things. I have recently read that downloading is down 27%. If history is any indication, one day streaming will go the way of these prior formats. What will come after that?

I heard it's helping the music industry. But then the quality of music goes south, so that sucks for the music industry.

Nothing anytime soon. In fact, when it comes to television shows streaming services are becoming more common now while cable is continuing to decline. There's so many Netflix original series now and so many other companies who have contracts with Netflix, and soon DC and Disney will have its own streaming services.

Nothing anytime soon. In fact, when it comes to television shows streaming services are becoming more common now while cable is continuing to decline. There's so many Netflix original series now and so many other companies who have contracts with Netflix, and soon DC and Disney will have its own streaming services.


But keep in mind, things happen so much FASTER now. Vinyl, for example, was around for years before being superseded by CDs (with the brief burst of glory of the cassette inbetween). And CDs were around a long time before being superseded by downloading. But downloading barely had a chance to take hold as the dominant medium before being rendered obsolete by streaming. You can bet the tech-for-tech's-sake crowd is working day and night in their Silicon Valley lairs (or wherever they do these things) coming up with the NEXT thing. Don't be lured into a fool's paradise just because streaming is so popular at the present moment.

I heard it's helping the music industry. But then the quality of music goes south, so that sucks for the music industry.

I'm fearful that it's going to make digital downloads and physical storage mediums (e.g. CDs, tapes, vinyls) obsolete, so no one gets to keep their music and other content. That's what's rather consumer-unfriendly about Spotify and Netflix, and even with Spotify at least, the artists or their record labels are complaining about how they're not getting paid enough, at least from non-paying users.

Streaming is the most popular method of listening to music right now. Prior to that we had 78s, 45s, albums, 8 tracks, cassettes, CDs, and downloading, among other things. I have recently read that downloading is down 27%. If history is any indication, one day streaming will go the way of these prior formats. What will come after that?


I really don't know if anything will replace streaming. In this day and age of technology, everybody is streaming almost anything and everything from shows to music.

I really don't know if anything will replace streaming. In this day and age of technology, everybody is streaming almost anything and everything from shows to music.


But that's like being in 1965 and saying "nothing will ever replace records, the Beatles are selling millions and millions of them, everybody loves listening to records, they're so popular, it's the way of the future".  Granted, streaming is more all encompassing with TV shows, movies, etc, but precisely because we are "in this day and age of technology" streaming will ultimately be overtaken by the next thing. It probably won't happen as fast as streaming replaced downloading, but streaming is not forever. It seems we just get settled into one thing now and the rug is pulled from under us for the next thing.

But that's like being in 1965 and saying "nothing will ever replace records, the Beatles are selling millions and millions of them, everybody loves listening to records, they're so popular, it's the way of the future".  Granted, streaming is more all encompassing with TV shows, movies, etc, but precisely because we are "in this day and age of technology" streaming will ultimately be overtaken by the next thing. It probably won't happen as fast as streaming replaced downloading, but streaming is not forever. It seems we just get settled into one thing now and the rug is pulled from under us for the next thing.


But what is this "next thing"? ???

It's hard to say. I mean, what's more convenient than having all the world's music in the palm of your hands and available at a push of a button?

It's hard to say. I mean, what's more convenient than having all the world's music in the palm of your hands and available at a push of a button?

That plus being able to guarantee that the music you like will be on there forever. But because of copyright infringement from outside sources or because of limited licensing, this part can't be guaranteed.

But what is this "next thing"? ???


THAT'S the question of this topic!    ;)

Holographic downloads of albums and CDs.  ;D

Holographic downloads of albums and CDs.  ;D


The funny thing is, whenever I ask this question in conversation to people I know they always come back with the same tongue-in-cheek "maybe there will be a chip implanted that transmits the music directly to your brain". Even though they mean it as a joke it's strange how they all instinctively feel things could possibly be leaning that way.  :o

The funny thing is, whenever I ask this question in conversation to people I know they always come back with the same tongue-in-cheek "maybe there will be a chip implanted that transmits the music directly to your brain". Even though they mean it as a joke it's strange how they all instinctively feel things could possibly be leaning that way.  :o


I'd be okay with a chip in my brain that makes me more mechanical and improves my computational skills, but I wouldn't feel safe if it were Internet connected and thus potentially hackable by others.  :-X

I'd be okay with a chip in my brain that makes me more mechanical and improves my computational skills, but I wouldn't feel safe if it were Internet connected and thus potentially hackable by others.  :-X


What are you afraid of?  :-X  :-X  :-X  :(  :(

What are you afraid of?  :-X  :-X  :-X  :(  :(


Maybe a stalker will hack into my brain and make me fall in love with them ;D

It's hard to say. I mean, what's more convenient than having all the world's music in the palm of your hands and available at a push of a button?



I remember back in the days when you didn't have that convenience.

Holographic downloads of albums and CDs.  ;D


That's a possibility.

Maybe a stalker will hack into my brain and make me fall in love with them ;D


That'll never happen.