MC536 Music Online

Streaming music online is continuously received by and normally displayed to an online user, while it is being delivered by the provider. An advantage about streaming music online is the essential quick and speedy service an online user is given. An artist’s music can be streamed either in its entirety, or in short samples. This benefits the promotion and exposure of an artist, plus the accessibility areas from a fans perspective. It introduces cheaper savings and costs to an audience interested in streaming music, as they will listen firstly online, then perhaps, purchase the record at a later date. This increases customers as more music can be heard free and legally before purchasing the record in its entirety.

A disadvantage about streaming music online is the use of particular streaming systems which prevent the ability to record streams for playback later on. Broadcasters become concerned about a lost in sales and the issue of consumers skipping advertising commercials. An issue of whether users have the right to record streams has become a significant issue within the music online industry. It is impossible to prevent a user from recording a media stream that has been delivered to their computer. However, the use of DRM (Digital Rights Management) controls the reproduction and content that can be streamed, resulting in the need of a license to unblock the files. Streams my also be encrypted by a broadcaster, making it difficult for users to record music, therefore contributing to the economic factors which are important in the music enterprise.