Musical Streaming: Will Artistic Value Survive in the Era of AI?

In a rapidly expanding market of musical streaming, the surge of artificial intelligence raises significant questions about the future of music. In this context, what balance do we wish to establish between the role of algorithms and human subjectivity to preserve cultural richness and artistic uniqueness? It's time to engage in an authentic debate about the place of humans and AI in the music industry.

The musical streaming market is flourishing. According to recent data from the IFPI (the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), with 10.4% growth compared to 2022 (19.3 billion euros against 17.5 billion euros in 2022), streaming now constitutes over two-thirds (67.3%) of the market. The number of paid subscriptions to streaming services has surpassed 667 million, marking a 13.2% increase in one year. In France, the growth of paid music streaming stood at 9.5% for the year 2023, representing 76.8% of the streaming market.

These figures attest to the vitality of the sector. However, there is a growing concern about the escalating role of artificial intelligence (AI) in artistic creation and promotion.

How does the growing influence of AI pose a major challenge to artistic value?

The evolution from simple music recommendations to increasingly sophisticated algorithms now drives playlists and personalized recommendations, posing significant challenges to the artistic value of streaming. Streaming platforms have honed their understanding of user musical preferences to offer ever-more tailored content. However, AI-driven personalization tends to reinforce users' existing tastes, limiting exposure to new artists and musical styles and raising concerns about musical diversity.

With over 120,000 new tracks added daily to streaming platforms, ensuring musical diversity is essential to prevent cultural stagnation and enrich the listening experience. How do we encourage the discovery of new artists and musical styles that broaden our horizons?

Stakeholders in the music industry must ensure that the integration of AI does not restrict artistic diversity for economic interests, whether by favoring certain artists or labels, prioritizing advertising revenues, or confining subscribers within listening bubbles that homogenize their tastes.

Preserving musical diversity is now a vital cultural issue.

It is necessary to rethink how we consume music in the digital age to actively encourage diversity and cultural richness, which are essential for the sustainability of the sector and its participants. It is also essential to ensure that everyone retains control over their listening preferences.

There exists an alternative path that can satisfy both platforms, artists, and subscribers: that of streaming platforms that encourage musical curiosity with eclectic offerings and prioritize uniqueness and quality. Those who listen to their demanding audience and help all artists connect with listeners and make a living from their art.

In the face of algorithms, human recommendations are more valuable than ever.

This alternative approach, where technology serves human curation, is the path embraced by Qobuz. Rooted in our values since inception, it centers on humans in the process. Qobuz recommendations are human and personalized, through our curated playlists and our magazine offering reviews, interviews, and features spanning all genres and artists. This resonates with our subscribers, who view it as an illumination of their present and future musical tastes.

By reflecting on how we consume music in the digital age and championing cultural diversity, we can strike the right balance between AI and humans for the future of music.

How Does Sound Quality Affect Our Hearing Health?

The World Health Organization predicts that by 2050, more than 700 million people globally will have serious hearing problems. Many young people —around 1.1 billion— are especially at risk of permanent hearing loss because they're exposed to loud noise regularly. These numbers highlight the need to spread awareness about how the quality of sound affects our hearing health.

The detrimental effects of poor-quality sound on our well-being

This is not a new topic. Many health and hearing experts have long been exploring the correlation between sound quality and our health. The intensive use of headphones throughout the day increases the strain on our ears. Beyond intensive use, often at excessively high sound levels, sound quality plays a major role. An Austrian study has shown that the fatigue caused by repeated video conferencing is accentuated by poor sound quality, termed "VCF" (VideoConference Fatigue). The technology alters voices, background noises and silences, deteriorating the acoustic experience.

Lack of sound education: a gap to be filled

The reality is teaching about sound quality is not common. Many of us don't understand terms like decibel or how to judge sound quality, including which sounds can harm our ears. Considering the high exposure to noise, isn't it important to introduce sound education to inform people about the serious effects of "bad" sounds? This is the goal of researchers and acousticians working with the French association La Semaine du Son. They aim to create an international "sound quality" label, to help listeners evaluate the quality of the music they listen to.

Qobuz, committed to sound quality 

A study we have led revealed that 66% of young French adults (aged 18-34) recognize the link between sound quality and hearing health, exceeding the national average of 54%. Ph.D. Paul Avan, Director of the CERIAH, Institut Pasteur and the Audition Institut, is delighted by this "growing awareness among young people of their hearing health, even though this population does not yet present any major hearing problems". 

At Qobuz, this commitment to sound quality is deeply rooted. "Music in good sound quality, i.e. uncompressed, reveals musical nuances, gives clear and distinct voices to instruments, creating a rich and comfortable soundstage for the ear," emphasizes David Craff, Product Manager Player at Qobuz. 

By offering uncompressed quality via lossless formats —CD/lossless and high-resolution— our platform offers a rich, authentic musical experience that respects our hearing. And what's more, it allows us to fully appreciate the creative work of our artists.