Buying music tracks/albums

[hajreza]

Dear Spotify owners

I like spotify very much and I've been a user since 2010. For sometime you had the buying option. With Apple and Google now in the market and both of them offering this option, I'm just one step away to leave Spotify forever. (Their music directory is also huge, you can find everything there). I think it matters to own the music when one pays for it. Statistically speaking (myself and friends usage), people generally listen to playlist that doesn't necessarily grows everyday in terms of number tracks. I pay 1200 NOK per year to Spotify, but I don't own 130 music tracks(equivalent to that amount). And after 5 years I do not own 650 tracks in total that I could. My point is if you wanna keep your users, please provid them this option as well.

I would like to hear your answer

Have a nice day

Reza 🙂 

[QM-Anna]

Please explain why it is necessary to "own" the tracks? What is the purpose with that when you get access to millions of tracks through Spotify for 1200 NOK annually? 

[hajreza]

Well, then I'm not bound to Spotify. I can copy my music on any device and play it using any music player application/software that I like.

Spotify's buisiness model has advantages and disadvantages for its users. 

The main advantage of Spotify as you mentioned, is instant access to full length tracks. On Google or Apple one gets a 90Sec preview as well. And then you can buy it if you like it for the reasons I explained above. You could have the buying option available on Spotify again as well. 

I'm actually trying to help here. Spotify won't loose its users if it offers them more freedom. Google and Apple have clearly copied your model. And I personally don't like supporting monster companies like these two. The stuff that basically keep me staying on Spotify are song-based radio and "Discover weekly" playlists(perhaps there are other cool stuff that I'm not aware of). I don't have time to discover new music myself 🙂

Reza 

[QM-Anna]

Well, as long as you have access to internet, you could get access to Spotify through many modern stero-devices which are able to connect to internet. But most of the time you only need a cell-phone. Making your track-lists available off-line you don't even need internet connection. With the bluetooth-function you easily connect your cell-phone to a portable speaker, or a docking station and play all your music off-line. It is even possible to listen to your tracks off-line in the car if your radio are able to connect to a bluetooth device.  The only real important device that you need is the battery-charger to your cell-phone : )

The only reason to buy the track, as I see it,  would be if the track is performed by a band or an artist which is not available on Spotify.. 

As spotify is connected to Facebook, you also have the option to follow and listen to your friends created track-lists, and don't need to create or "discover" new music - let your friends do it for you : )

/QM-Anna

[Harrity7]

I want to buy the music so I can put it on my underwater headphones (Finis Duo.)  I guess I have to go to iTunes.  I'm disappointed.

[davekellett]

I agree with the persons comments, i am a DJ and love how spotify suggests tracks for me, i find it suggests better than any other application i have used and i have built up numerous playlist and would love the ability to be able to buy the tracks at a high bitrate (say 320kpbs), i have to go in to other sources and buy the tracks from them which is a pain in the **bleep** to be honest, both spotify and the artists would benefit so much from this feature. Please make this a reality, i havent considered looking at the other alternatives but if they offer the same tracks and the ability to buy also, i may consider moving to them. 

[davekellett]

Also out of intrest what bit rate are the files when they are downloaded and the high quality option is ticked??

[curmudgeon1]

I agree.  I am tired of iTunes and am interested Spotify's suggestions, but at the end of the day, I want my full music library available off line.  I am happy to pay the monthly fee for suggestions and playlists, but I will always buy the things I like.  Why make me choose to give that business to someone else?

[denith1002]

I love Spotify but it could make itself even better by supporting artists (more?) by allowing us to buy. I want to feel good about using Spotify and buy the new stuff I listen to a lot. At the moment I feel a little guilty. I am not IT savvy ( old girl) so easy options would be good instead of having to go look it up elsewhere. X

[Jstanleyb]

Same here. So many good songs I want to play in sets. No time to go on site and buy 20 tracks by searching. Personally if I could straight away buy certain playlist I would pay a premium.

1.) Spotify can take a commission with time buying power will increase
2.) The love of music is spread better at more fair prices since DJ's will use this world wide.
3.) Fans and music lovers world wide get even nicer experience

peace & love

[Jstanleyb]

Dave, see attached file for all bit rates.

320 is extreme

[Mitzky]

It seems that there has been no progress on this topic?

I really like spotify and I am a premium user and a dj so I would be willing to pay for such a service! 

Did anyone try to export your spotify playlist to excel and then you have a list for buying your tracks? 

[GeorgyF]

I am in exactly the same situation! I'd love to be able to put my Spotify workout playlists onto my Finis Duo for swimming tune good times, and would happily pay to do so if it were possible

[hajreza]

I can say almost for sure that it will never happen. If Spotify let you buy your music then you are off the grid. They actually lose you. They will lose access to the following information:

1. How often you listen to that music

2. When you listen to it

3. Where you listen to it. While driving for example?! Note that Spotify has access to your location. 

4. Basically who is listening to what on the map of the world!

This information is Gold to Spotify. You can imagine what they can do with this tonnes of information. Advertising, suggesting music to me (They suggest good music!), using it as selling points to customers and so on. They know a bit too much about us. Internet or web still is a wild wild west. Every thing started by google undermining Privacy. Then facebook ruined it and other companies just followed them!

[CristinaMFSola]

Hi!

Many times I look for an specific song to ad to my playlists and it isn't on Spotify list. How can we suggest Spotify bring them, those songs, and make them available?

Many times I see an album that has been downloaded and a song or two is missing. Exactly that one we want. How can you solv this problem?

Thank you!

[ruslejuice]

There should be a subscription for DJs allowing for the ordering of flac /320kbps versions of all the tracks in a playlist as a downloadable file. This subscription could be a little more expensive since Spotify looses some revenue (listening statistics and so on) 

[jmcbee]

The more I use Spotify, the more I actually feel ripped off, I don't own anything for paying so much money. I feel like I should go to buying music that I want to listen to. In fact I do not need suggestions, I find music through friends and radio. I can get suggestions and stream lots with the free account. I feel that I would spend what I pay for spotify on music I want to have offline forever and come out ahead financially. Also the month I can't afford premium I can't listen offline and save data. I feel like I stumbled into a trap of dependance on the service. Considering leaving spotify due to the lack of tangibility for my purchases. 

[jmcbee]

Makes so much sense.

[ruslejuice]

If only Spotify could have a partnership with a 3rd party who took care of finding the tracks in the export of a Spotify playlist in FLAC and offering the package as a download. The service would not have to be "in-house" at Spotify, only accommodated by Spotify by allowing it to be done easily 

[gritpype1]

I would like this option solely due only to the fact that I have saved obscure tracks from the Spotify Discover Weekly playlist or searched for and added tracks that I really like, then at a later date they disappear/show as' greyed out.' E.g. Nick Lowe's 'Children Go Where I Send Thee'; Fleetwood Mac's 'Dragonfly;' 'Chinese White Boy' (Peter & Mick Green) ; 'Silent Night/Holy Night Jam' (Joe Satriani - Merry Axemas compilation); 'Santa Claus is Back in Town' (Robin Trower/Paul Jones); 'Down by the Sea' (Wooden Shjips); 'Living in Sin' (Skin Alley); 'Indigo' (Studio Version - Pendragon); and some I cannot find digital copies anywhere else like: 'Moon Blues' by Air Guitar; Rumplestiltsskin' by Rumplestiltskin; 'Congo Square' by Great White; 'Rainbow Chaser' by Nirvana (UK not USA) ; 'Mary Clark' by Black Widow.