Actually I go further, I think those into art should always express that through ownership.
Books go out of print or the translation varies. Films are unavailable if they're not one of the top grossing films, and even if they are then they can be unavailable (i.e. Disney exercising artificial scarcity over historical titles).
I own and ripped over 6k CDs into FLAC a long time ago, and still a good number of these are not available on streaming services even though they were major releases in the UK in the 1990s and 2000s. Why? Because the coverage of EPs, Singles, B-sides, and some variations of albums (Japanese imports with extra tracks) isn't represented by Spotify, Google Music, Tidal, Apple, etc.
The only way to ensure you can enjoy something in the future is to own it today.
For me, music, video and book streaming / digital rental fills a different problem space - discovery before ownership.
You make a good point. If you come into an appreciation of certain genres of film or music, and the items you want are out of print, your options are to find the content on the secondary market or acquire pirated copies.
I am always more than willing to pay for content, but what is one supposed to do when what you want is out of print and there are no viable secondary market options?
I have a really serious problem, but I spent more than a decade trying to find a copy of REM’s (Hib-Tone) Radio Free Europe 45. That quest led me to dig through some of the sketchiest crates on the planet before I finally gave up and ordered a copy on eBay.
To this day, it remains one of the possessions I love most. The hunt and all the crates I dug through add a mythology that beats the actual product. The mix is really good and shows Mitch Easter at his absolute best, but the hunt is worth even more than the artistry.
That’s all a long way of saying if there aren’t any secondary market options, keep digging. You’ll eventually find it and the story will be worth more than the recording.
I hear you. I wish there were more places to dig through sketchy crates! All of my favorite used record stores have vanished and the joy of finding a rare item in a crate is harder and harder to find.
This is the only way if also if you're into underground i.e. dance music. Private torrent trackers are the only way to acquire vast swaths of music, many of which was even quite popular at the time of its release.
Also helpful are YouTube, SoundCloud, and if you want to listen to contemporary music, things like NTS radio.
It makes me sad that young people today growing up on Spotify simply cannot find out about most of the music I grew up with, or most of the music that excites me coming out today, unless they go "off road."
I grew up in a small town in the 90's, and dance music was just something you sometimes heard in the background of movies. Getting into underground music back then would have meant driving a couple hundred miles.
I'm not clear - are you saying most tunes you grew up with+new releases that excite you aren't on youtube? or that you think youngsters aren't clicking outside spotify?
Maybe it's just the genres I'm into but between youtube and soundcloud (+ a bit of bandcamp) maybe 95% of underground music new or old that I look for is available. Knowing it exists in the first place is a step of course but once you find something good both sites seem pretty good at suggesting similar tracks.
Do you know where to buy FLACs for classical music? I would love to pay money for good quality music to put on my computer without having to buy physical CDs.
I've been pretty happy with qobuz. If you're looking for something particularly rare then they might not have it but I've never had an issue finding the standard stuff with them.
Actually I go further, I think those into art should always express that through ownership.
Books go out of print or the translation varies. Films are unavailable if they're not one of the top grossing films, and even if they are then they can be unavailable (i.e. Disney exercising artificial scarcity over historical titles).
I own and ripped over 6k CDs into FLAC a long time ago, and still a good number of these are not available on streaming services even though they were major releases in the UK in the 1990s and 2000s. Why? Because the coverage of EPs, Singles, B-sides, and some variations of albums (Japanese imports with extra tracks) isn't represented by Spotify, Google Music, Tidal, Apple, etc.
The only way to ensure you can enjoy something in the future is to own it today.
For me, music, video and book streaming / digital rental fills a different problem space - discovery before ownership.