Streaming Music Better for the Environment?
Think Again.
By David Gargaro
The recording industry has undergone a massive
transformation into the digital age of music
distribution. In 2008, revenue from music
streaming made up just 4% of the American
music industry. Last year, streaming made up
75% of revenue. This exponential growth means
many have embraced streaming options like
Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal, but others who
refuse to accept this trend—and instead clutch
onto their prized vinyl collections—may just be
onto something.
According to a recent collaborative study
published by the University of Glasgow and the
University of Oslo, the data paint quite an eyeopening
picture regarding the damaging
environmental costs of the music streaming
industry in the United States. Translated: the
energy required in the front and back-end of the
music streaming process—far—outweighs the
pollution created by the production of all
historical sound formats, from phonograph
cylinders to compact discs (that’s CDs for
younger readers).
As a former professional orchestral conductor
and recording artist—turned nuclear energy
researcher and unashamed policy wonk—I was
initially suspicious, so decided to take a look at
the data for myself.
While the use of plastics has been dramatically
curtailed in the format of MP3 downloads (8
million kilograms in 2006), from the 61 million
kilograms it took to produce CDs in their highest
year of production, a closer inspection of the
environmental data provided in the study reveals
a starker reality for the industry.
When comparing the greenhouse gas emissions
created in the production of vinyl LP albums,
cassette tapes, compact discs, and MP3 album
downloads, there is one clear environmental
loser. The MP3 business was the largest
contributor to greenhouse gases in 2016 when it
created between 200 million and over 350 million
kilograms of emissions in that year alone. By
comparison, the production of cassette tapes
created 136 million kilograms of greenhouse
gases at the peak of the industry.
Furthermore, the study highlights the decreased
cost of music as a result of digitalization. It was
found that—in adjusting for inflation—prices of
mediums ranged from $13.88 for a phonograph
cylinder in 1907 to $21.59 for a CD in the highest
year of production. These figures vastly exceed
the cost consumers can currently pay to access a
monthly streaming service with an almost infinite
song catalog.
While it is clear that the music industry has done
an incredible job of making its products available
to consumers in unprecedented levels, study coauthor,
Dr. Kyle Devine, notes:
These figures seem to confirm the widespread
notion that music digitalized is music
dematerialized. The figures may even suggest
that the rises of downloading and streaming are
making music more environmentally friendly.
But a very different picture emerges when we
think about the energy used to power online
music listening. Storing and processing music
online uses a tremendous amount of resources
and energy–with a high impact on the
environment.
It is important to note that the purpose of the
study is not to deter consumers from purchasing
their music via streaming services. After all,
streaming is the most cost-effective way to
deliver the joy of music to millions of people.
This technology is here to stay, and this study
demonstrates that streaming companies have a
social responsibility to reduce their impact on the
environment. While current estimations show
that greenhouse gases will only increase as the
demand for cloud-based services grows, this will
no doubt provide ample opportunities for tech
companies to invest in solutions tailored toward
streaming storage and online processing.
Until then, consider getting that old record player
out from the attic and enjoying the sounds from
the good old days.
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