By: Megan Hastings

Public Relations Manager

  In an era dominated by streaming, where movies and music become readily available by one touch of a screen, the tangible experience of entertainment—watching movies in theaters and listening to music on CDs or vinyl—is less common. Despite its convenience, streaming has had unexpected effects on consumers and artists because of its widespread acceptance. As we embrace this digital shift, it’s important to support artists by attending live performances, purchasing physical media, and choosing platforms that fairly compensate creators.

         Box office revenue traditionally serves as the main source of funding for filmmakers. The financial success of a movie is directly influenced by ticket sales when it opens in theaters. But with the growth of streaming, a lot of movies now move straight to digital platforms, where they frequently lose money. Since streaming services usually pay a set price to acquire movies, audience involvement is no longer a determining factor in a film’s financial success. The financial return for filmmakers is small, regardless of how many views a film receives on a streaming service. Independent filmmakers, whose work would have previously flourished due to word-of-mouth in theaters, experience the negative effects of this system the most. The situation is significantly worse for musicians. Artists receive relatively pennies per stream from streaming services like YouTube, Apple Music, and Spotify. For comparison, an artist may only make between 3,000 and 5,000 dollars for every million streams, which is a figure that most independent musicians find difficult to meet. On the other hand, the artist receives a far bigger portion of the sale when customers buy CDs or vinyl records, meaning artists hold greater control over their earnings through physical sales. Revenue from a single record sale can amount to hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

        Movies can also vanish overnight on digital platforms. A movie that was accessible on Netflix today could disappear tomorrow due to changes in licensing arrangements. Purchasing a DVD or Blu-ray gives you permanent ownership of the movie, independent of streaming services’ changing priorities. Compared to Blu-rays or 4K discs, streaming services’ compressed video and audio files have lower resolutions and poorer sound quality. A major loss for movie buffs is this deterioration in quality. For music, listeners hardly ever “own” music these days due to streaming. Rather, they rent access to enormous song catalogs that are always available for removal. Furthermore, algorithm-driven listening patterns promote a culture of apathy and skipping, making it uncommon to interact deeply with an album. Conversely, vinyl records and CDs promote deliberate listening. As a result, fans and artists develop a closer bond. 

       Beyond financial and ownership concerns, there is also the simple truth that movies and music are best experienced in ways that engage the senses more fully. The experience of watching a movie in a theater is immersive. The social ambiance, surround sound, and enormous screen create an environment impossible to duplicate at home. Viewing a movie in a cinema eliminates the distractions of phones and notifications, allowing the viewer to focus entirely on the film. Clicking “play” on a streaming app is easier than listening to a vinyl record or CD. You must select the album, put it in the CD player or turntable, and listen intently. This approach fosters a greater appreciation for the music. Digital formats frequently lack the warm, analog sound quality of vinyl albums in particular.

        Regaining a meaningful relationship with art is the primary goal of shifting towards physical media, which goes beyond providing financial support. Treating art as disposable and replaceable is a gross, passive approach to someone’s piece of work.