Don't Buy Music, Rent It!

iTunes helped the music industry find an alternative to declining CD sales. For about a decade, it was popular and up-to-date. But now streaming services supported by monthly subscription fees have gained popularity and iTunes suddenly looks like a fading business. NPR reports.

Questions...

•What are other examples of a type of a website or a type of media hardware that was popular for awhile, then faded in popularity?

•In the 1980s, music made a transition from vinyl to CD and 20 years later from CD to iTunes. Are we in the midst of another historic transition in how people buy music?

•As a consumer, do you generally prefer paying for things that you actually use (like iTunes or Kindle eBooks) or do you prefer a subscription approach (cable television)? What do you think of the Pandora approach where a basic service is free and the consumer pays for a more complete version of the service?

•In your opinion, do you think major recording companies (which generally promote mainstream musical acts) prefer the iTunes approach or the Spotify approach? What about small independent record companies or musical acts that put their music online without record company backing? Which approach do you think will do more to cut down on pirated music?