Qobuz

[DublinJimbo]

I wonder how much is due to labels pulling out? First Hyperion, then Chandos and Oehms Classics earlier this year, now Naxos, BIS and Profil within the last few days (and presumably the rest of the Naxos-distributed labels will follow shortly). Like... if your streaming service keeps losing music, of course people are less likely to subscribe.

I wonder if the labels are intentionally trying to kill it, and if so, why.

I hadn't realised that labels were pulling out. That's very worrying.

[richardfinegold]

I wonder how much is due to labels pulling out? First Hyperion, then Chandos and Oehms Classics earlier this year, now Naxos, BIS and Profil within the last few days (and presumably the rest of the Naxos-distributed labels will follow shortly). Like... if your streaming service keeps losing music, of course people are less likely to subscribe.

I wonder if the labels are intentionally trying to kill it, and if so, why.

First guess would be Quobuz is behind on royalty payments.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I wonder if the labels are intentionally trying to kill it, and if so, why.

It could be because the recording companies are effectively employing a "middle-man" whom they consider to be unnecessary. Alternatively (and this is my view) anything that discourages people from buying their products may be counterproductive in the long run. Also, I feel this is very much the case with downloads, as it goes against the collector's instincts.

[mahlerei]

My contact at Qobuz assures me this is a short-term problem, and that a clarifying statement will be issued at some point. Make of that what you will....

[french frank]

My contact at Qobuz assures me this is a short-term problem, and that a clarifying statement will be issued at some point. Make of that what you will....

(I think).

[Beef Oven!]

I hadn't realised that labels were pulling out. That's very worrying.

Me neither.

That's some list that kea gives.

[ostuni]

I'm not totally sure about kea's list: as I understood it, Hyperion have always declined to take part in any streaming services. They've never been available on either Spotify or Qobuz, as far as I remember (and I've been using Spotify for some years now).

I really hope Qobuz does/has sorted out its cash flow issues... What I very much value with their service is the frequent availability of the booklets (not for every issue, but for most of the recent ones), and the good coverage of European HIPP-flavoured labels.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Agree about Hyperion - you also don't find it on Google Play Music All Access (Spotify equivalent) nor Naxos Music Library. Nor Testament recordings. Obviously a decision in principle to withhold their content from streaming. (Actually you might find the odd album on one of these services but its the exception that proves there is a rule).

As to downloads, Hyperion of course has had its own site since before Qobuz, and recently their site has started to handle downloads from Signum & Linn as well.

[kea]

First guess would be Quobuz is behind on royalty payments.

That would make sense.

It could be because the recording companies are effectively employing a "middle-man" whom they consider to be unnecessary. Alternatively (and this is my view) anything that discourages people from buying their products may be counterproductive in the long run. Also, I feel this is very much the case with downloads, as it goes against the collector's instincts.

Part of it may be labels offering their own competing products—for instance once Hyperion started offering lossless downloads on its main site their catalogue immediately disappeared from Qobuz. It's possible that Naxos/Chandos/BIS/etc are trying to promote ClassicsOnline HD and believe there's only room for one cd-quality streaming service out there, but who knows.

I'm not totally sure about kea's list: as I understood it, Hyperion have always declined to take part in any streaming services. They've never been available on either Spotify or Qobuz, as far as I remember (and I've been using Spotify for some years now).

I really hope Qobuz does/has sorted out its cash flow issues... What I very much value with their service is the frequent availability of the booklets (not for every issue, but for most of the recent ones), and the good coverage of European HIPP-flavoured labels.

Hyperion was available on Qobuz for a while iirc, and apparently there was a certain point when some of it was streamable, as I've found threads in the help forum asking why Hyperion albums can't be streamed anymore. They moved to download-only for a couple of years but disappeared completely sometime in the middle of 2014, shortly after I became a subscriber. You're right that they generally don't "do" streaming period, I think Naxos Music Library has unsuccessfully been courting them for years.

There are a couple of other labels that "don't do streaming", ECM New Series and MDG being the major ones. Qobuz has a couple of others that have offered albums for download but never streaming: Channel Classics (can be streamed on Spotify, but apparently didn't get along with Qobuz for some reason) and Mode Records are two that come to mind. Chandos and Oehms had extensive catalogues (1000-2000 albums iirc) that were all streamable, until a few months ago when they became download-only.

Naxos apparently isn't totally gone, they just deleted about 7000 of their albums from Qobuz, including almost all releases from the last 5-6 years and huge random chunks of the earlier ones. BIS, similarly, still has 14 albums available for streaming, though that may just be an oversight. (Other, smaller labels that deleted almost all of their catalogues in recent months but are still sort of on board: Albany, Bridge, New World, Kairos)

[Stunsworth]

Hyperion were available to stream once upon a time. However that ended quite a while ago now. Even when the streaming stopped it was still possible to buy and download their recordings. That too ended - I think earlier this year.

[Stunsworth]

Why some labels have disappeared from Qobuz...

http://blogsv2.qobuz.com/qobuz-blog-en/2015/12/22/to-our-subscribers-and-customers-catalogues-available-on-qobuz/

[Bryn]

Why some labels have disappeared from Qobuz...

http://blogsv2.qobuz.com/qobuz-blog-...able-on-qobuz/

Thanks for that, Steve. Once it becomes clear which catalogues are proving the most difficult to bring back to the fold, I, and maybe others, can start avoiding buying their products, other than as 'pre-owned'.

[Beef Oven!]

Why some labels have disappeared from Qobuz...

http://blogsv2.qobuz.com/qobuz-blog-...able-on-qobuz/

Many thanks Steve - sheds light on the matter.

[richardfinegold]

Thanks for that, Steve. Once it becomes clear which catalogues are proving the most difficult to bring back to the fold, I, and maybe others, can start avoiding buying their products, other than as 'pre-owned'.

Never a problem with physical media. If labels start squabbling with distributors, at least no one is going to repossess a CD that you bought!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Why some labels have disappeared from Qobuz...

http://blogsv2.qobuz.com/qobuz-blog-...able-on-qobuz/

They are unlikely to win friends and influence people by lashing out at those they've fallen out with, however politely.

Still abusing the word "digital" I see. . .