Listeners are overwhelmed. They are tired of algorithms. They are tired of picking up their phone to listen to one song and losing forty five minutes to scrolling.
Believe it or not, many people these days are craving fewer choices, not more.
So they are doing something that feels almost rebellious.
They are choosing to own their music again.
Reviving old iPods and MP3 players to create smaller, intentional libraries of singles and albums they picked on purpose.
What really caught my attention is that this is not just people dusting off old devices for nostalgia. A meaningful number of listeners are actively choosing to step away from streaming altogether.
That tells us something important. This is not about missing the past. It is about solving a problem the present created.
Streaming promised convenience, but it also introduced constant distraction.
People pick up their phone to listen to music and end up somewhere else entirely. Notifications interrupt songs. Algorithms push content they did not ask for. Music becomes background noise competing with everything else on the screen.
For some listeners, the solution has been surprisingly simple: a device that only plays music.
There is also a growing frustration with the idea that nothing is truly owned anymore. Music can disappear from platforms. Versions change without consulting us.
When listeners buy and store music themselves, they regain control. They know the album will still be there tomorrow, exactly the way they remember it.
Another thing that seems to be driving this shift is not rejection of technology, but a desire for boundaries. Fans want music to feel intentional again.
They want to listen all the way through an album. They want to reconnect with the way music used to fit into their lives before everything became so complicated.
And here is the part I'm just tickled about...and you will be too.
This trend, the all the reasons behind it, favors indie musicians.
When fans own music, they listen differently. They connect more deeply to the artist behind the work.
And that flips the economics back into your favor.
Selling an album directly to a fan earns you more than thousands of streams ever will. And the fans who want to own music again are not looking to do it for free.
They want to support the artists they love so they can keep creating more music.
It's a symbiotic relationship.
Platforms like Bandcamp make this incredibly easy. Fans can buy your album, download it, and curate their own listening world the way they used to with mixtapes and iTunes.
For many of you, this should feel exciting, familiar, and almost nostalgic in the best way.
As an Indie artist, we're built for this kind of direct to fan sales. It's like returning to your roots...
So if there's a segment of your fanbase who are feeling that pull to rebel against new tech, how do you go about reminding them why they loved owning music in the past and invite them to own your music?
- Don't be shy! Let fans know how to buy your music. They won't be offended.
- Offer it on a platform that's easy to browse and sample your music before buying.
- Remind them the value of listening to albums start to finish.
- Offer downloads that feel special: Include liner notes and a note from the artist.
- Help them understand how much their purchase benefits you, especially compared to streaming income
And most importantly, do not assume fans only want convenience. Give them a choice.
I can tell you from experience that collecting music and curating unique mixes can be so fun and rewarding.
My mixtapes were legendary!
Hit reply and tell me. Do you miss the days of mixtapes and downloads? Do you think this "backlash" will catch on?
Remember, you only need 1,000 true fans to support you monetarily to have a sustainable artist career.
Always in your corner,
<3 Bree
You're reading the Profitable Musician, your guide to growing your fanbase, increasing your income and becoming more profitable. Shared with ~16,000+ readers every Wednesday. Was this forwarded to you? Subscribe here so you don't miss the next one.
