From tapes to records and then CDs to MP3s, the media of DJing has changed drastically in the last 20 years and continues to evolve, or will it?
With online streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify it would appear we have yet again reached new heights! Unlimited music, new and old with a simple search for one low monthly fee! No more $100/mo. iTunes and Beatport bills for tracks and CDs! No more hard drives with faulty cords and errors! Too good to be true? Of course it is! Let's dive into the age of DJing with streaming services!
PROBLEM
4. License and assignment - The Spotify Service and the content provided through it are the property of Spotify or Spotify's licensors, and we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable license to make personal, non-commercial use of the Spotify Service and to receive the media content made available through the Spotify Service in your Local Country, based on the Subscription or Trial you have selected (the “License”). This License shall remain in effect for a period of 20 years unless terminated by you or Spotify.
Woops! Well that really puts a damper on things doesn't it? But wait! If you use DJay 2 or DJay Pro, Spotify is ok with it. Are they though? Nope. Just because they partnered with these software's still does not make it ok to use their service in a commercial manner. So you can, but you really can't. Confusing? You bet!
The fact is no streaming service is ok with DJs streaming content for commercial usage, so much so that Apple Music isn't even compatible with any DJ software.
Now I can talk about licensing, content usage, and all the legalities that legit, professional companies have to put up with and pay for, for hours, but let's talk about something more important. Stability.
STability
DJs who rely on saved online playlists and music run the risk of losing access to their music at a moments notice. What happens when the terms of service change and leave you high and dry without any music right before that wedding or important gig? What happens when the WIFI drops, or slows to a crawl? Then what?
Streaming services allow DJs to download music however there is something called a license refresh. This is required periodically to refresh the license of the downloaded track. If you don't have WiFi, you are not playing any of those tracks until those licenses are renewed.
As DJs we are always looking for the next best thing to make things easier for us and more attractive to our clients, but we need to first look at the bigger picture. As professionals we need to ask ourselves, is it stable? Is it safe? What are the drawbacks? What if ...? And so far, streaming has a ton of drawbacks.
APPROVED BUT NOT REALLY
Newer streaming services such as Tidal and Deezer now allow DJ software's to integrate their services except, without things like stem separation. While this might sound good at first, what's the point? You still have all the stability issues, you'll never own any of these tracks and now your software can't separate the stems. Controllers like the Flx-10 that integrated separate stem buttons, features and capabilities is now rendered useless when you stream your music.
DJing with streaming services Conclusion
In closing, external dependency on online music, streaming, or otherwise should be limited to last minute requests, or tracks you might not currently have in your library.
Personally if you have Wi-Fi and are going to pay for a streaming service you may as well just pay for a DJ Pool service and download the track. This way you have it, own it and can use stems on it. Building your own local music collection is still the best policy.