Musikstreamingtjänster : En studie av musikstreamingtjänsters funktioner i förhållande till webbutvecklingen och användarens efterfrågan

Sammanfattning: New technological advancements have resulted in a shift of medium. Music interaction has moved from physical media such as CDs and MP3-players to digital music services on the Internet. Vast catalogues of music is today available from any device with Internet access for either a monthly cost or even in some cases for free. Even though many users subscribe for the music they consume the music industry still experience an uncertain economy. New interaction opportunities and new design principles have derived from the new medium. According to users some functions are more important than others, some functions are even missing. Which are these? Are the users’ needs equivalent to the web development and the current supply of function the services offer? With vast consumption and immense establishment together with the tie in economic factors and technological development music streaming services is a given media technological phenomenon. This study’s purpose is to analyze three important components in the case of music streaming services: the supply, the user’s perspective and the position according to the web development. In order to increase the understanding of these parts this study has completed an inventory of current supply of functions in seven music streaming services and a questionnaire to conclude the user’s perspective. The study uses the theory of Web 1.0, Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 to examine current position of the services in web development. Possibly in this way the study might discover strengths and weaknesses in the supply of the music streaming services and thereupon contribute to suggestion of improvement and functions. Functions which might help the development of music streaming services and increase more paying consumers. This study show that the current supply of functions music streaming services offer is in general equivalent to the users’ need. However, the users don’t value social functions as an important part in music streaming services. They value a great catalogue of songs and great accessibility with commercial free use. The supply of functions doesn’t differ a lot from service to service. Spotify is the leading services both in quantity of functions and in number of users. Regarding the position of functions most functions is placed within Web 2.0. Thus, the user show an indication of the importance of accessibility which suit the vision of the ubiquitous and pervasive webb of Web 3.0. Even though the theory of Web 2.0 was coined 15 years ago the interactive music web service is mostly a product of Web 2.0. Despite of the satisfaction in supply, in terms of sustainability, it might always be a value to continue to examine the user’s need, the industry’s demands and the technological development to reach the highest form of contentment from all parts.