REPOST: Norway Has Figured Out How To Solve The Problem Of Music Piracy

The survey says it all. Business Insider Australia reports yet another significant contribution of streaming to the music industry: combating piracy. The plummeting numbers of illegal download and pirated copies are lending more value to music streaming:

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New data from Norway reveals that music piracy has completely collapsed in the country. Music Business Worldwide is reporting that the country has hit upon a way to rely on streaming to encourage residents to enjoy music legally.

A new music industry survey asked people under 30 in Norway whether they illegally download music online. The study, carried out by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, revealed that there had been a substantial drop in the number of young Norwegian people illegally downloading content.

In five years, the number of people admitting to illegally downloading files online has gone from 80% of survey respondents to just 4%. The survey also revealed that less than 1% of young people in Norway said illegal downloads were their main source of music.

The IFPI is, predictably, pleased with the result. “In the past five years, we have virtually eliminated the illegal file-sharing of music,” said Marte Thorsby of IFPI Norge.

These numbers aren’t a surprise — Norway has worked for years to reduce the number of residents engaging in piracy. An Ipsos survey from 2013 revealed a continuing decline in the amount of pirated music in Norway.

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So how is Norway managing to buck the trend and reduce the levels of piracy? Simple: Most people in Norway use streaming services instead of buying music.

Digital music is dominant in Norway, the IFPI says. That’s not unusual, but it’s the popularity of streaming services that seems to have caused the decline in piracy.

The IFPI says that income from streaming sites in Norway increased 60% from 2012 to 2013, and streaming accounts for 65% of Norway’s music market. That’s a big difference from other countries. The IFPI estimates that 27% of global digital music revenue comes from streaming services.


Streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, and WiMP are big business in Norway, and the IFPI credits these companies with reducing piracy. “We are now offering services that are both better and more user-friendly than illegal platforms,” Thorge said.

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Piracy is such a non-issue in Norway that police barely have to do anything about it. As Torrent Freak points out, the country hasn’t been cracking down on filesharers in the way the US and UK have been. In fact, nobody in the country has been prosecuted for illegally downloading music, and no piracy sites are blocked by the country’s internet service providers.

Timothy Munro Roberts’ Station Digital mobile application allows free access to high quality music streams. Click here for updates on digital technology.

Up on the cloud: How music streaming can bring artists to new heights

One of 2014’s biggest entertainment headlines was about how Taylor Swift, one of the world’s most popular artists of recent times, pulled her entire song catalog out of music-streaming site Spotify. There are many differing sides on the whole event, and on music streaming itself, but it should be safe to discuss the positive results an artist may yield from having their music shared on streaming hubs.

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For instance, musicians, whether new or seasoned, may at times find it hard to reach their potential listeners. However, music streaming is another avenue for audiences, now from all over the world, thanks to the Internet, to discover an artist’s work.

Consider the very recognizable feeling of searching for something on Wikipedia and then clicking on another interesting topic within the article. Suddenly it’s hours later and one’s read several pages of topics only tangentially related to the first. When musicians put their music in the cloud, they’re opening their work up to a whole world of people who can stumble upon their next favorite jam.

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Because of this and the fact that technology has made recording songs easier and more affordable, music streaming can also be seen as a means for leveling the playing field for artists. A musician who is social media savvy can have an increased fighting chance of finding an audience, even if he can’t afford an experienced public relations and marketing staff.

 Streaming also another way to get fans to buy merchandise and concert tickets, both of which are where the artist’s real revenue comes in. One can think of it as advertising, in a way. Also, while streaming services’ per-song payments are lower compared to the per-song downloads, the latter is a one-time deal and the former can really add up in time.

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It’s still quite early for music streaming. With the advantages mentioned above and even more technological and business-model improvements in the horizon, more artists may soon realize how putting their music in the cloud can be a really good thing.  

Musicians can share their work with the world at StationDigital, an innovative music streaming hub founded by tech entrepreneur Timothy Munro Roberts that offers a wide variety of musical genres. Visit this Twitter account for updates on music and streaming technology.