🎶 Streaming vs. Owning Music: Why It Matters

Recently I came across something that stopped me in my tracks. Spotify updated their artist terms, and in the fine print it basically says that by putting music on their platform, artists are giving them the right to use it however they want. They can modify it, create new things from it, and they don’t have to pay us a cent for that. Outrageous, right? And this is on top of the already tiny royalties artists get there.

It really got me thinking about what it means to “own” music.

When Hector and I travel, I love his playlists on Spotify. Honestly, I don’t really use Spotify myself, but he does, and his playlists are amazing. We’ll put them on in the car and it sets the whole vibe. So I completely get why people love streaming. It’s convenient, it’s fun, and when I’m with him, I enjoy it too.

But here’s the thing…

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The difference between convenience and ownership

Streaming makes listening easy, but it doesn’t mean you own the music. Playlists can vanish. Platforms can disappear (remember MySpace?). And when that happens, all those hours of curated songs, saved tracks, and discovered artists can just… vanish.

I’ve lost music I loved this way, songs I had saved but didn’t remember the title or artist. Once access was gone, so was the music.

That’s the trade-off of convenience.

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My perspective as an independent artist

As an artist, my relationship with Spotify has always been complicated... Truthfully, it’s not very worthwhile for artists. The only reason I keep my songs there is because I want it to be convenient for you. I know how much easier it is to just hit play on the app you already use, and I want my music to be where you are.

But experiences like this make me question it. Not long ago, my cover Nocturne was flagged with a “fake stream” warning. And here’s the funny part… my streams aren’t even that high 😅

I reached out to Spotify, and they told me to contact my distributor. Basically, they don’t even bother talking to small artists.

So I did contact my distributor, but after several attempts, TuneCore never replied. To this day, I have no explanation.

Meanwhile, I know other independent artists who’ve had their music taken down without warning or a chance to defend themselves. And the reason given was “bot streams.” The thing is, I know for a fact these artists never purchased fake streams or tried to boost vanity metrics. Yet Spotify accused them anyway and removed their songs without giving them a chance to explain. Imagine pouring your heart into your music, only to have it erased with no conversation. That’s the reality we’re dealing with.

At the same time, AI-made “bands” rise overnight with streams in the thousands. The double standard is hard to swallow.

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Why ownership matters (for artists and fans)

For artists, streaming rarely covers even the cost of a coffee. Direct support, whether through physical albums, downloads, or merch, is what actually keeps us creating.

For fans, ownership means you never lose the music you love. Whether it’s safe on a hard drive or treasured as a CD or vinyl, it’s yours. No platform can take it away.

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Where I stand now

I still put my music on streaming platforms, because I want it to be accessible. I also sometimes listen through Hector’s playlists, and I totally get the appeal. But I’m being honest when I say, I sometimes wonder if it’s worth it. Someday I might feel strongly enough to pull my music. Who knows?

What I do know is this. When you buy music directly from an independent artist you love (whether it’s me or someone else), you’re not just getting a file or a CD. You’re making sure that artist can keep creating.

And that matters more than any playlist algorithm ever could.

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If you’d like to own my music

Right now, I’ve made it super easy. I put together a Digital Discography Bundle, all three of my albums as instant downloads, including Secret Garden (which isn’t even on streaming yet).

✨ High-quality files you can keep forever

✨ Yours instantly, no waiting, no relying on a platform

👉 Get my Digital Discography here

Whether you grab it or not, thank you for supporting independent music in whatever way you do.

At the end of the day, what matters most is connection. So whether you own my music, stream it, or simply gave me a few minutes of your time to read this, thank you. It all means more than you know

Much love,
-Ania

✨ Another way to support my music (if you feel like it) ✨