UK's competition regulator announces market study into music-streaming biz

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said this morning it would be carrying out a market study into the music streaming industry. The announcement states that following discussion by the board, the regulator would now "consider and develop the final scope of the market study, before formally launching it as soon as …

[Rich 2]

How slowly the wheels turn

I thought a “study” had already been done - this has been in the news (interviews with artists etc) for months now.

I’m always saddened when a “study” or “inquiry” is kicked off to investigate a problem that is bleedin’ obvious and everyone knows anyway.

[tiggity]

From those stats, looks like Spotify pay huge amount of their revenue to the labels - a lot more than UK radio stations do. (I am in UK - I am aware US radio airplay rules are weird in comparison).

If there's issues about songwriters / performers getting ripped off then looks like the issue is the labels (as presumably there's not a magic wand spotify et al can wave to hugely increase their revenue / what they pay out.

Disinterested observer as not a spotify, apple music etc user.

I still buy my music on CD or vinyl, as can then rip it and do what I want with it. Streaming of no interest to me - out in the sticks & phone signal often dodgy so need music to exist on device I am carrying as streaming unreliable. If I am not out and about, why would I stream as can listen to disks directly, or throw on the radio (still as good a way as any as expanding my musical awareness, though obviously UK radio plays very rarely figure up & coming "unknown" artists, but I'm not in the age demographic that needs to be in up with every latest new thing & OK for me to be "behind the curve" by a few months as there's so much music (& other media) that you can only ever consume a miniscule fraction of what is out there anyway)

[Chris G]

I prefer to own my own media, the nearest transmitter that provides my internet is 5 or 6 Kilometers away and subject to the vagaries of the weather and tree growth between it and me.

I would wouldn't touchAlexa and family with a barge pole anyway.

I have a huge collection of CDs and digital recordings that are perfectly fine for me.

I also have a Hotbird sattelite receiver that most of the time gives me a huge range of music from all over the Med', Middle East and Europe and is usually at a decent quality.

So streaming? Nah!

[analyzer]

Spotify user here

A subscription one no less, it's worth it not to have the adverts.

I use it to find stuff I haven't heard before and if I like it then I'll buy the CD. The wife thinks I'm a little insane doing that but I then also have the control of what, when and how I wish to listen.

I did try Amazon and Google but they are way behind Spotify in both range of music, new artists and usability of the app.

No idea how iTunes compares as I've never owned Apple kit.

So after costs and everything else is deducted how much of my tenner per month is going to the artists that I've listened to?

Spotify obviously knows how much and to whom I've listened so I would be really interested as to how they break the sums down.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

>how much of my tenner per month is going to the artists

And is it more or less than the 50-100p they got from a CD sale