Coldplay was very loud about holding their content from Spotify and other streaming services when they released Mylo Xyloto last October. Now, they have very quietly added the album 100 days after it’s release– it appeared on Spotify just Tuesday this week.
This move was in an effort to maximize profits. The idea was that anyone who was on the fence about buying the album couldn’t stream the album for free on various services. Their fans would have to either purchase a digital copy at iTunes or a physical copy regardless of how they wanted to experience the album. And now, once everyone shelled out their $15 to own the album, they’re planning to subsidize their income a little for all of those who didn’t buy the album, but will pay pennies to stream it.
While surely anyone can see why they would attempt to do this (especially with reports of indies being underpaid from Spotify streams– but surely Coldplay would be paid fairly?), it draws a parallel to how the major record companies have isolated their fans over the last decade. DRM, lawsuits, and take down notices forced their customers to listen to their music in a major record label-approved way; even if it was contrary to how they WANTED to listen. In a competitive market, you’ll find that consumers and customers will always gravitate towards what is easy, convinient, and fair. Coldplay was clearly not sensitive to this point and have forced their customers into a single way to listen. While artistic integrity encourages us to believe in our “product” so as not to trick customers into a commitment that they will regret, Coldplay did just that.
And it seems like it worked. Mylo Xyloto rocketed to a No. 1 debut on the Billboard charts and analysts clench their teeth as the “innovative” move to withhold from streaming services seems to have worked. At least it looked like it worked until this week. Lana Del Rey debuted this week at No. 2 on the billboard charts, even though her album was on Spotify and the rest of the streaming services. In fact, of her total sales, 75% were digital. Even though some of the digital fans could’ve easily streamed it for free on Spotify, they chose to download it from iTunes.
The best advice that artists can live by is to give fans the music the way they want to experience it. Overall, resisting innovation and change in this business has proven to be counterproductive, destructive, and naive. Music will thrive so long as we continue to let the industry evolve without resistance.