Streaming is music's biggest money-maker

[Nom De Plume]

Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music have become the biggest contributor to the music industry's coffers for the first time ever.

In total, streaming generated $7.1bn (£5bn) in 2017, more than sales of CDs and vinyl.

The number of people subscribing to a streaming service topped 176 million, up from 112 million a year before.

The boom helped record labels chalk up a third consecutive year of growth, after 15 years of decline.

According to the IFPI, which represents the global music industry, the music market was worth $17.3bn (£12.4bn) last year, up from $15.7bn the year before.

However, it noted, this is only two-thirds of what the industry made at the peak of the CD era in 1999.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43877494

[Nom De Plume]

I am an avid streamer. I have an Apple subscription, but I still buy CDs as I like having a hard copy.

[BigP]

I prefere to own the music I listen to,,

[Black Orchid]

I like to own my music too but I do download some onto my phone just for the gym, which is the only place I listen to music on my phone.

[Nom De Plume]

It's a try before you buy thing... currently I've had Nigel Stanford on high rotation, so will get the CDs.

I haven't bought a dud CD in ages.

[Black Orchid]

I do that with movies

[Nom De Plume]

I do that with movies

And I should do that with movies.

[boxy]

Renting pop art. It's a new world, and I'm getting grumpy.

Get off my lawn!

[Nom De Plume]

Boxy's back!