U2 not on the top 20 Spotify list

[bono2017]

Of course, I think that graph is not considering concert generated revenue, who's has likely grown substantially from earlier eras. Maybe when considered together it's closer to break even. Even so, that would demonstrate a big change in listening habits, which is why I probably don't understand music fans who don't have/want any physical media. But they're as pumped up as I am, just different wants for different people/ages.

Remember that graph is for the entire globe, and not just the United States. The United States has seen the most dramatic decline of album sales, digital and physical, in the world.

Extremely popular artist such as U2 make significantly more money from concerts than they did back in the 80s or 90s. But the vast majority of artist, especially new artist, only make enough to stay on the road. Essentially the cost of touring often eats up anything they make. Then when it comes to their recorded music, everyone is streaming it instead of buying it. They could make some good money if people would buy, but get paid a fraction of that when people just stream it.

The consumer loves the current situation and naturally will jump through any hoop to defend it.

 

[kabigon]

Do you even lift while listening to The Unforgettable Fire brah

 

[Danny Boy]

The consumer loves the current situation and naturally will jump through any hoop to defend it.

Not trying to justify anything.

Considering US data only, even when adjusting for inflation, the drop in revenue is about 50%, not 80%.

 

[bono2017]

Please show me a source that says that music industry revenues are down 80% from 2000. Your guestimates based on the relative value of a single are not very convincing.

The number of albums that sold 1 million copies or more in 2001 in the United States was 100. In 2016, there were only four albums that sold 1 million copies or more. Realize that this is both physical and digital albums combined.

There were only 35 million selling songs in the United States in 2016. Obviously, you only make a tiny fraction from the sell of one single compared to the sell of one album.

6 months into 2017, not a single album in the United States has sold 1 million copes. ZERO. Only 6 songs have passed the 1 million sales mark at this point.

2001 album sales in the United States
https://books.google.com/books?id=w...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

page 53

2016 album sales in the United States.
https://www.ukmix.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=115315&start=675

As for the singles, it cost $1.29 or less to buy individual tracks today from I-tunes or Amazon etc. In 1986, the vinyl record singles I purchased were $3 dollars each. That is nearly 7 dollars adjusting for inflation in 2017.

Individual artist are making a tiny fraction of what they once did from recorded music.

 

[bono2017]

Not trying to justify anything.

Considering US data only, even when adjusting for inflation, the drop in revenue is about 50%, not 80%.

Not when you look at million selling albums or million selling songs which are the things that really make artist money and motivate people on the sidelines to get into the industry.

2001 number of albums selling at least 1 million copies in the United States: 100

2016 number of album selling at least 1 million copies in the United States: 4

So you would believe that single sales would make up for that right?

2016 number of singles selling at least 1 million copies in the United States: 35

Think about the revenue generated by 100 million plus selling albums at $20 dollars an album vs 35 million plus selling singles at $1.29 a single.

Also realize that the United States economy is 33% larger than it was in the year 2000.

 

[Danny Boy]

Why are you going through all of these irrelevant mental gymnastics when we know the figures?

Music industry revenues are down about 50% in the US and 33% globally compared to 2000.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You could always make a mix CD for the gym. But as U2 fans and album lovers, I'd assume you'd prefer to listen to the Unforgettable Fire as a whole without mixing in songs from another album let alone another artist music. Plus,I doubt you spend more than two hours at the gym, which could be covered by two or three CD's. The point here is that the new devices don't add very much when you think about it.

Lolz this guy

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Do you even lift while listening to The Unforgettable Fire brah

?

 

[BVS]

These new fangled devices bring nothing to my life, Sting and I are training for a marathon. Eat my shorts bitches.

 

[CosmoKramer]

No joke....I used to run at the beach with a compact disc player!

Looking back, I laugh at that but what else could I have done? Now I have an iphone(iPod before that) and I can put it in my pocket or on an arm band and it's no bother.

The worst thing about running with a portable compact disc player, other than its size, was that it would skip every so often when running.

I love CDs and prefer them to digital copies but when it comes to convenience....it's a non-starter.

 

[david]

You could always make a mix CD for the gym. But as U2 fans and album lovers, I'd assume you'd prefer to listen to the Unforgettable Fire as a whole without mixing in songs from another album let alone another artist music. Plus,I doubt you spend more than two hours at the gym, which could be covered by two or three CD's. The point here is that the new devices don't add very much when you think about it.

Actually my iPhone 7+ is great for listening to music without having to switch songs etc, tracking my workout times, and monitoring my health all at the same time at the gym. So uh, "new devices" add a lot.

 

[nbelcik]

You could always make a mix CD for the gym. But as U2 fans and album lovers, I'd assume you'd prefer to listen to the Unforgettable Fire as a whole without mixing in songs from another album let alone another artist music. Plus,I doubt you spend more than two hours at the gym, which could be covered by two or three CD's. The point here is that the new devices don't add very much when you think about it.

You actually think it's more convenient to bring 2 CD's and a Walkman to the gym, instead of a phone that has all of your music on it. What?

 

[bono2017]

Why are you going through all of these irrelevant mental gymnastics when we know the figures?

Music industry revenues are down about 50% in the US and 33% globally compared to 2000.

Because those are not the figures that are relevant. You've not given a source for your US figure as well. What is relevant is the number of million selling albums and million selling singles. Gold, platinum, and multi-platinum is the definition of success in the music industry.

A 96% decline in the number of million selling albums since 2001. 100 in 2001, only 4 in 2016, ZERO so far in 2017.

Only 35 1 million+ selling singles last year. Only 6 at the 6 month mark in 2017.

But I guess artist are supposed to recoup these losses from customers who only pay $10 dollars a month to stream nearly anything they want?

These are the statistics that tell the real story in the United States.

 

[bono2017]

Actually my iPhone 7+ is great for listening to music without having to switch songs etc, tracking my workout times, and monitoring my health all at the same time at the gym. So uh, "new devices" add a lot.

I'm sure listening to POP would cover the majority of your workout. As for devices and U.S. public health, the U.S. population is not getting healthier thanks to these new devices. The American public is more overweight and obese than at any time in its history.

It also has not made Americans more productive when it comes to work as real GDP growth continues to lag well behind where it was before the turn of the century.

 

[bono2017]

You actually think it's more convenient to bring 2 CD's and a Walkman to the gym, instead of a phone that has all of your music on it. What?

Not more convenient, but not really less convenient either. Essentially no difference. You are probably only going to be at the gym for an hour or two, which means your only going to listen to an hour or two of music, NOT your whole music collection.

The only real difference is that with CD's you have to think ahead of time what you are going to listen to. Thinking ahead of time and planning. Something that is getting less common in the today's America.

 

[mikal]

I'm in need of a little tech help. I'm trying to insert my old cds into my iPhone but the lightning port seems too small.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[coolian2]

I'm in need of a little tech help. I'm trying to insert my old cds into my iPhone but the lightning port seems too small.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Fold the CD in half. Then half again. Then again. Then use the 3.5mm port......oh shit you're fucked sunshine.

 

[bono2017]

I'm in need of a little tech help. I'm trying to insert my old cds into my iPhone but the lightning port seems too small.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Try using your CD player instead.

 

[coolian2]

Try using your CD player instead.

Slight issue, I don't think I can use my only CD player at the gym:

 

[bono2017]

Slight issue, I don't think I can use my only CD player at the gym:

Well you'll have to buy one you can use at the gym.

 

[coolian2]

Ah, bless.

 

[Hewson]

I'm in need of a little tech help. I'm trying to insert my old cds into my iPhone but the lightning port seems too small.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ask Leo for help. The younger generation knows all about that new irrelevant technology.

 

[mikal]

You know what I really hate? The Internet

 

[the tourist]

I feel like this would be a good time to reference a certain scene from The Shawshank Redemption. You know, the one in the warden's office?

 

[Danny Boy]

Because those are not the figures that are relevant. You've not given a source for your US figure as well. What is relevant is the number of million selling albums and million selling singles. Gold, platinum, and multi-platinum is the definition of success in the music industry.

A 96% decline in the number of million selling albums since 2001. 100 in 2001, only 4 in 2016, ZERO so far in 2017.

Only 35 1 million+ selling singles last year. Only 6 at the 6 month mark in 2017.

But I guess artist are supposed to recoup these losses from customers who only pay $10 dollars a month to stream nearly anything they want?

These are the statistics that tell the real story in the United States.

Here's the 2016 data from the RIAA:

https://www.riaa.com/u-s-sales-database/

Inflation adjusted revenues in 2000 - 21 billion
Inflation adjusted revenues in 2016 - 7.7 billion
A decline of 63.5%

That is, admittedly, pretty bad.

 

[BVS]

I'm sure listening to POP would cover the majority of your workout.

Velvet Dress is at the top of my list of work out songs; when I'm running on the treadmill and it starts to skip, it does kinda sound like a remix.

 

[the tourist]

Here's the 2016 data from the RIAA:

https://www.riaa.com/u-s-sales-database/

Inflation adjusted revenues in 2000 - 21 billion
Inflation adjusted revenues in 2016 - 7.7 billion
A decline of 63.5%

That is, admittedly, pretty bad.

I wonder how much of that difference is made up for by subscribing to streaming services.

 

[Danny Boy]

If you click the link, that's included in the data. Would be much worse if paid and ad-supported streaming weren't included.

 

[bono2017]

I wonder how much of that difference is made up for by subscribing to streaming services.

Looks like about 4.4 Billion(estimate) of the 7.7 billion comes from the streaming services. So about 55% of the music industry in the United States is now streaming services.

 

[bono2017]

Here's the 2016 data from the RIAA:

https://www.riaa.com/u-s-sales-database/

Inflation adjusted revenues in 2000 - 21 billion
Inflation adjusted revenues in 2016 - 7.7 billion
A decline of 63.5%

That is, admittedly, pretty bad.

Streaming is now nearing 60% of the music industry in the United States. The digital album/single download that dominated the late 00s and early 10s is falling as fast as physical product now.

Thanks for the link.