Celtic musician Jesse Ferguson, The Bard of Cornwall asked this question on a recent blog post. It's interesting and very pertinent for musicians these days. Because it is also a question of how musicians make a living in the new music business.

As for me, I stream music on Spotify. I love having music at my finger tips. If I really love the artist (or my kids do), then I will buy the MP3 on Amazon Music. I also buy the music from bands I feature on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast (thanks to hundreds of podcast supporters on Patreon).

I don't buy CDs any more. In fact, I don't want them. I don't have easy access to a CD player.

I am open to buying vinyl, but it would have to be something very special. I don't want to own a ton of vinyl records. I also wouldn't pay too much. The $60 that I charge for my As Long As I'm Flyin' vinyl is just too much for me. Though I guess if there was an album I REALLY wanted… then maybe.

I don't know if I'm just weird or not. But I don't really want to own “stuff”. I need clothes on my back, an autoharp or two, and not a whole lot else that's physical. It's all about functional for me. I don't want to create waste. If it's functional, I'm more likely to buy it. I own shirts, coffee mugs, and tote bags from folks. But that's about all I want to own.

So how do I support musicians in this day and age?

Well, if they're Celtic, obviously, I promote them through the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast and Pub Songs & Stories.

If I really LOVE what they do, then I look for them on Patreon.

Patronage is the way of the new music business. Thus, Patreon is the game changer for me. For as little as $1 per month, I can support an artist I love while enjoying their streaming music. And so I do. I send a few bucks to musicians, artists, video creators, and podcasters I love through Patreon.

I love Patreon because it allows me to support someone's art without feeling the need to buy more “stuff”. I can stick to digital goodies that don't clog up my house. It makes me feel good that I can help musicians create more music. For me, Patreon the ideal way to see the new music business thrive.

What about you? Do you buy MP3s vs streaming music services?

If you want to find out about my Patreon page and how you can support my music, click here.