this post was submitted on 27 May 2026
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Because you can't really grab music as easily anywhere else. You aren't using YouTube really, just downloading the song once through them.
There are torrents but the scene isn't the best from what I understand, most songs are missing the moment it isn't a classic. It might have changed since last I checked.
So just because something is easy, I should be able to steal it?
Well, if it's between that or paying Spotify to steal it for you. Best is just to buy all your music directly off the bands website.
I did outline you should buy from bands in my first comment. It's okay imo to pirate a lot even if you support just a few bands. It's better than what Spotify is offering.
I have yet to find an artist that is available on Spotify that doesn’t also sell their music by the album for a fair price.
Not everyone can afford that.
Hence why I said "if it's between [piracy for most and directly supporting a few] or letting Spotify steal for you."
You aren't defending artists right now, you are defending a parasitic corporate juggernaut that is feeding on the artists.
Why should you have music if you can’t afford it? Do you need it to live? I’m a fucking musician, I am absolutely defending artists. What instrument do you play?
My argument is that people should pay artists for their music. Folks that use Spotify to any degree are the ones supporting the corporate juggernauts. Go directly to the source. Please don’t misrepresent my argument in the future.
Edit: trying to cover all my bases. In pop music, the “artist” is the collaboration of all the corporate entities responsible for producing their talent. I don’t listen to that shit either. Just try to know the artist you’re listening to.
Get off your high horse, I play guitar and used to play a few other things. Anyone can call himself a musician, unless you're making a living off of it, it means nothing in the current context.
I'm trying to get people off Spotify, even if it means they need to pirate most of their library and only support some artists.
Would you rather they use Spotify or pirate+buy merch. If someone is used to have a 500 song playlist and can only afford to either have a spotify subscription or buy one album a month, they won't switch to buying their music outright. They might switch to pirating+buying an album a month.
It’s not a high horse. I’m a human that made a choice to support artists the best way possible. When you pirate music or stream it, you’re diluting the share of profits that go to the artist. It’s really that simple. There’s no reason to pirate music or stream it if physical copies are always available. Hell, buying the album on BandCamp to receive a digital copy is also available.
Buying albums > Pirating most and buying some albums > streaming
It's about pirating or streaming IF you can't afford to buy. Do you see the if there? I don't know how I can be clearer, you aren't even reading what I'm saying.
If you can’t afford music you don’t deserve music. It’s not a need; it is a want. You can live without wants until you’ve saved up enough money for them if you’re an adult.
So they will stay on Spotify and the artists get less than in my "pirate but support a few" scenario. Congrats, your lack of pragmatism at the service of streaming. 👍