Just wait for a year or two. All the content big creators(HBO, Disney, etc) have become jealous of Netflix and are preparing to silo their content to their exclusive streaming services for all that sweet cash.

Once this process is compete and the silos are created Napster will rise again.

I know it's not the same from a technical standpoint but BitTorrent is still alive and well. Being peer-to-peer it could be considered a spiritual successor to Napster. I'm not ashamed to admit that I still use it to download movies or foreign TV shows that aren't legally available on the streaming services I use (at least in my region).

In my case it's strictly a case of availability - I happily pay for Netflix, Amazon Prime and Spotify as well as whatever software I use. I wish the content creators would wise up to this - Steam solved this issue for gaming years ago.

> Being peer-to-peer it could be considered a spiritual successor to Napster.

Napster's popularity was not because of P2P or something else. The only reason Napster succeeded was convenience. Bittorrent cannot be the successor because it is not as convenient.

> In my case it's strictly a case of availability - I happily pay for Netflix, Amazon Prime and Spotify as well as whatever software I use.

Everyone pays now because it is convenient to pay at 2-3 places for all your needs. Once you have to start paying at a separate place for every different series/movie you want, you will stop paying. It is not only about availability. It is about availability AND convenience

And Steam is facing the same issues as Netflix with Epic Store and Origin breaking away because EA and Tim wanted more money.

Convenience and price both play a role. Like it or not, streaming music has most content on each of the major services, is fairly cheap, and is very convenient. It's not a shift I'm entirely happy with and I keep a foot in each world (owning and streaming) at least in part because I already have a big music collection.

Video and other content is much more of a mixed bag with very fractured availability and simple lack of availability under a subscription for a lot of content.

Netflix selection has been dwindling in my country while prices keep going up...

I think the TV and movie industries haven't felt the effects of piracy like the music industry did in the heyday of P2P, there's a big difference between the behavior of the music industry who'll sign a contract with any reasonable streaming provider and that of say, HBO or Disney who want full control of their content.

I dont think so, IF Roku, Amazon, and Apple make it easy to 1) manage subscriptions and billing in once central place and 2) give you the option to open each channel/app specifically OR allow you to search AND browse across all of them at once. It's that last browse part thats important. If I can click "all available movies" and see my movies from CBS, FX, HBO, Disney, Paramount, Amazon, Netflix, Vudu, and Apple (without Amazons way of not showing you if it costs money until you click) I think the platforms (Roku, Amazon, Apple) will keep people away from more complicated piracy. As long as the platform abstracts away the silos, making them an optional way to browse, people wont go running.

> I want to support the artists ..

That is like eating in McDonnalds to support the workers there.

You mean you want to support the big media corporations that make good artists available to you...

Just making sure that you know what you are doing.

And like in today's thread about Instacart stealing tips, make sure the company you're paying actually supports the artists.

Your #1 does not really help your #2.