Interview with Klaus Heymann on future of music industry

[David Ayers]

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/focus/the-future-of-listening-will-be-an-all-you-eat-formula

[GA Russell]

Thanks David! It's great to see candor from someone who is competent.

[David Ayers]

It's interesting, isn't it? As you say, he's very candid. 12-18 months before the industry really knows what form the streaming industry will take - that's not long to wait!

I would be interested to know why it is thought that growth in downloads has fallen off.

I wonder whether the market of mainly older jazz collectors for physical product is similar to that for classical - stable but in sloooow decline. I predict a sudden meltdown, myself, but Heymann thinks not.

Though Heymann doesn't talk about it, I get the impression that some small classical and jazz labels are basically a labour of love and so fall outside even these categories - i.e. the owners sustain them out of enthusiasm. So there already hardly is a market for some material and it can't really decline.

I can hardly wait for the new streaming world, especially the video aspect. Music really does cost far too much compared to TV. As I already get with (good but not perfect) Spotify, I want things on tap and cheap, so when they get all their ducks lined up on very high quality streaming, I will be very happy.

[sidewinder]

I want things on tap and cheap, so when they get all their ducks lined up on very high quality streaming, I will be very happy.

The weak link may be UK broadband speeds.

Might get there around 2099..

[David Ayers]

I want things on tap and cheap, so when they get all their ducks lined up on very high quality streaming, I will be very happy.

The weak link may be UK broadband speeds.

Might get there around 2099..

Agreed. Seems a long way off. The roll-out of fibre-optic cable will be the key to that. It will take time...

Edited October 15, 2010 by David Ayers