British pop superstar Adele is following Taylor Swift's lead by keeping her highly anticipated album 25 off streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Last week, Swift's Spotify saga reignited debates on music streaming. Read More on why Taylor Swift was wrong about Spotify.
After Swift's open letter prompted Apple Music to pay artists during free trials—despite her earlier Spotify grudge—Read More on why she was wrong about Apple Music. Adele appears set to snub all major streamers vying for dominance.
This strategy offers short-term gains, but resisting streaming's momentum is shortsighted. Services like Spotify and Apple Music aren't just the future—they're the present, with massive user bases driving industry growth.
Here's why withholding 25 from streaming is a mistake.
Adele is less vocal than Swift, who made controversial statements. Deezer CEO Tyler Goldman told Reuters, "[Adele] uses this as an opportunity to try and sell more CDs or downloads." Spot on for boosting initial sales.
Like Swift's 1989, the top-selling album of 2014, 25 is projected to sell at least 1 million copies in its first week, per Reuters. Monster numbers indeed. But even this logic falters long-term.
Streaming sparks hysteria—Jay Z even launched Tidal Read More on why Tidal is doomed—to rival Spotify.
Artists gripe about low royalties, but they overlook two key points:
Research backs this: A National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) paper shows streaming bolstering the industry despite doomsayers.
The same NBER study found streaming reduces illegal downloads significantly. Read More: 4 reasons piracy is obsolete. My generation skips ownership for convenience—Netflix, Spotify win. Read More on the end of ownership.
If desired tracks aren't on Spotify, torrenting beckons. Predictably, 25 is already on torrent sites pre-release. By skipping streams, Adele pushes paying streamers toward piracy, forfeiting revenue from those who'd otherwise subscribe.
Streaming lets fans sample before buying keepers. Adele forces blind purchases. Platforms offer years of royalties; one-time sales don't compete. A delayed Spotify drop later looks cynical.
Ultimately, 25 will smash records, Spotify will grow—streaming is inevitable. Labels clinging to the past will fail long-term, though short-term tactics annoy fans.
Will you buy 25? Would streaming sway you? Does no-streaming make piracy tempting? Share in the comments below!
