Artists should normalise buying music again

Record store visits could help artists rebuild music's value.

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Artists should normalise buying music again

Artists complain about Spotify's low payouts while promoting their presence on the platform. A shift in behaviour may change how fans value music.

Why it matters

When discussing music's value, Spotify often receives the brunt of criticism. The streaming giant offers unlimited access to global music catalogues for €10.99 monthly, focuses on podcasts for growth, and allegedly creates ghost artists to avoid royalties.

However, while these concerns merit attention, they overshadow a more fundamental issue: how people perceive music's value. Artists can initiate change by leading by example.

Generated with SDXL using the prompt ‘cats in a record store’.

How it works

Music’s main problem is how people perceive its value.

Music has become virtually worthless to most consumers, who view unlimited access for €10.99 monthly as normal.

This perception isn't entirely their fault—they've grown accustomed to this model, reinforced by artists promoting Spotify, pre-saves, playlists, and Wrapped data.

That has to change. We should educate our audience that buying music is normal.

Artists and industry pros rarely showcase their music purchases—such as vinyl or Bandcamp downloads—on social media, though many likely buy music.

Setting an example by documenting their music purchases could help normalise paying for music again.

Whether through local record shops or digital platforms like Bandcamp, artists showing they value other artists' work could spark change.

Yes, but..

There’s more than meets the surface. I think Spotify is a great music innovation. Spotify for Artists is a fantastic tool. The recommendation engine has been awesome for many years.

The broader issue extends beyond any single platform. The entire music industry, including major labels (significant Spotify shareholders), must collaborate to rebuild music's perceived value.

Sharing music purchases alone won't solve systemic issues overnight, but it represents a crucial first step toward normalising financial support for music.

Take action now

Artists could visit their local record store, purchase vinyl from fellow artists, and document these experiences on social media, demonstrating their commitment to supporting music financially.

Your thoughts

Let’s normalise buying music again! When was the last time you purchased music? Share your recent music acquisitions in the comments below.

Let me practice what I preach: I recently picked up Paerels III, a fantastic 3x12" compilation from Rotterdam's Nous'klaer label. If you know, you know - it's an absolute gem.

Further reading

• Why 2024 Was The Year I Quit Spotify (The New Yorker on Instagram)

• Why I Finally Quit Spotify (The New Yorker)

• Audio is incidental: Why Spotify wants to become a creator ecosystem (MIDiA)

• Forget Spotify – I’m going all-in on Bandcamp for music in 2025, here’s why you should too (TechRadar)

• Spotify’s Broken Model: How the World’s Biggest Streaming Platform Crushes Artists for Profit (Zappagram)

• Spotify allegedly using ‘ghost artists’ to minimise royalty costs (MusicTech)

• Is There Any Escape from the Spotify Syndrome? (The New Yorker)

• Buy Music Club (Buy Music Club)

• CarloKiksen on Discogs (Discogs)

• Why artists should comment on other artists’ posts (The Fanbase Builder)

• Market value is the music industry’s hidden currency (The Fanbase Builder)