From Ownership to Dependency: How the Subscription Era is Changing Music and Culture
In 2026, the business models shaping culture and music have fundamentally shifted us away from ownership and toward a world built on subscriptions and services. This is no accident. Platforms are designed to keep people spending money every month, making the act of paying perpetual. The goal is clear: keep you paying, keep you dependent. As a result, both the value and meaning of what we consume, and what we create, are being eroded. When you don’t own something, its place in your life and identity becomes fragile. You’re not investing in a creation, a product, or a piece of work; you’re just buying access to a system. The thing with value is no longer the art itself, but the convenience of the service. That’s not just a loss for consumers, it’s a dangerous shift for creators too, as it threatens the very foundation of creative identity and independence.
The End of Ownership
For digital platforms, this is the ultimate business model. When you don’t need to own anything and just pay for access, it’s far more profitable and convenient for them. But for everyone else, the danger is profound: not owning anything means losing connection to your own values, identity, and beliefs. The act of owning a record, a book, or a piece of art used to be a statement about who you are, something you could cherish, display, or revisit at will. Now, when you pay a monthly fee for access to millions of works, each individual creation loses its unique value. The system encourages you to see creative works as disposable, interchangeable, and ultimately less meaningful. The more we normalize this, the more we risk forgetting that art and culture are meant to be treasured, not just consumed.
The Consumer Trap
This subscription system isn’t just about convenience; it’s a trap. If you miss a payment, even after years of subscribing, your access vanishes instantly. You can’t choose, see, listen, or read anything you’ve come to love. You’re locked into a lifetime of payments just to keep enjoying what matters to you. The trap is simple: platforms want you to keep paying, forever. The illusion of freedom is just that, an illusion. True freedom means ownership and control, not endless dependency on a service that can take everything away in an instant. In reality, the consumer becomes a slave to the system: perpetually paying, endlessly dependent, and powerless to reclaim what once belonged to them.
Creators Losing Control
For creators, the consequences are even more insidious. The system pressures artists to adapt their output to fit the needs of the platforms: releasing singles instead of albums, prioritizing constant “newness” to keep subscribers engaged, and following trends rather than artistic vision. It’s the same with streaming video. Series are favored over movies because they keep people paying for the next episode, the next season, the next cliffhanger. Creators lose the ability to shape their own path and are pushed to serve the business model, not their muse. The creative process itself is at risk of being shaped by the demands of platforms rather than genuine inspiration or artistic intent. In this environment, the artist is no longer the master of their own work. They are turned into a slave to the system, forced to chase algorithms, numbers, and fleeting trends instead of true creative fulfillment.
The Illusion of Digital Fanbases
The obsession with numbers, followers, streams, subscribers, has created a new illusion: that popularity equals value. But this is a mirage. Some of the most talented independent artists have small followings, yet produce incredible work. For my work as an A&R at ColorWorld Music, I’ve found a lot of extremely talented indie artists with almost no database but great music that we can offer and sell for licensing. It doesn’t matter if you’re algorithmically popular; if your work is good, I’m in. We make music, so music always comes first, to me at least.
The system encourages us to judge worth by metrics, not by substance. Worse, you don’t even own your fanbase. If you have 20,000 followers on Instagram, you still can’t reach them directly. The data, the audience, the connection, all belong to the platform. If the rules change, or access is cut off, you lose everything. Building your audience on someone else’s platform is building your house on rented land. Real value comes from owning your data, your audience, and your ability to connect: collecting emails, building your own channels, and creating direct relationships.
The Danger of Convenience
AI tools and creative platforms promise speed and ease, but often at the cost of control and rights. As more independent artists turn to these tools, they risk surrendering their intellectual property, their royalties, and ultimately their independence. The lines around ownership and copyright are getting blurrier, and the platforms are designed to benefit from that confusion. Artists must be vigilant: understand the terms, protect your work, and never give up your rights lightly. The convenience these platforms offer can come at a very high price.
The Path Forward: True Ownership
The future belongs to those who understand and defend the value of ownership. Independent artists must educate themselves about the realities of the music business, intellectual property, and publishing, even if today it seems like royalties and rights are distant or insignificant. Knowing who owns the masters, texts, and creative shares; understanding how to protect and license your work; and building your own infrastructure for audience and revenue, all of this is essential for long-term success. Your copyrights and intellectual property are assets: treat them as such, and fight to keep them in your hands. Be cautious with platforms that ask you to upload or create content under unclear terms. The more you own, the more power and freedom you retain.
Conclusion
Don’t let convenience or platform promises distract you from what matters: ownership. If you rely solely on external platforms, you risk losing everything: your work, your audience, your income. Take control now, educate yourself, and make ownership your priority. The future of culture and music depends on it.
Steev Crispin
Limitless creative mind, music producer, and brand storyteller. Founder of ColorWorld Music, he blends music, branding, and visual arts to craft emotion-first experiences for brands, artists, and audiences worldwide. Known for his non-linear thinking and passion for innovation, he thrives on connecting ideas, people, and disciplines—always exploring new ways to move and inspire.