In general, I am not a fan of Complex’s work. I think they release too many silly lists ranking things, and focus primarily on click bait. Nonetheless, on occasion, Everyday Struggle has been a pleasant surprise.

In this daily First Take style show, Joe Budden and DJ Akademiks debate some of the music industry’s current events. Joe Budden, a former rapper and recording artist is meant to represent the old school. He stresses authenticity and lyricism and the industry releasing music that artists can take pride in. Akademiks is meant to be the voice of the new school. He eyes the charts, waiting for the next budding star, and predicting album sales based on artists’ social media impact.

The original Everyday Struggle cast (from left to right): DJ Akademiks, Nadeska, and Joe Budden.

Their viewpoints couldn’t be any more different, and they occasionally make for the same hip-hop debates that we have for free every day. When done right, the arguments are fun, thoroughly outlining what rap was and what it is has become today.

I guess I’m biased, but Joe Budden really drives this show. As someone who had a charting single, went through a label dispute, and grouped up with some of the best MCs in the game, Budden provides real context in places where Akademiks just guesses. Naturally, I was disappointed when it was announced that he’d be leaving the show in 2018. But, he certainly left us one last gem before making his departure.

When the topic came to the gatekeepers of rap, the team acknowledged how the typical record label structure is decaying. This is due primarily to the way in which consumers get their music. Gone are the days where people run to the record store for music. Purchasing music in general is often an afterthought.

Now, it seems, if people aren’t downloading their music illegally, they are utilizing a music streaming service to hear new stuff. Only a paid subscription to one of these sites helps earn the artist the spins they need to earn coveted RIAA certifications.

Streaming seems to have become the most common way to listen to music.

This was where Joe waxed poetic. He mentioned how he was one of the only people in his circle to still purchase music. He opined how many listeners now don’t fully control their listening experience. They just allow a streaming site playlist to generate songs for them.

“I don’t stream music, I purchase. I feel like a music encyclopedia. So, if I want to hear a song, I’m not streaming”. About his friends, he mentioned “they enjoy all the same music that I do, they couldn’t tell you the name of any of the artists, and they couldn’t tell you the name of any of the songs, and when they want to jam they go and they turn Spotify on and they press a button and they walk away.”

I share Joe’s sentiments here. I can remember buying a CD or album online, and really listening to it. I could take the album from front to back, and really decide whether I liked the project, the artist, their production, and the direction they chose.

Maybe it’s the access we have, or the time it takes to delve into an artist’s discography, but I get the feeling that many listeners care less about controlling their listening experience than we'd expect. This too, plays a large role in the decay of major record labels. How can fans really invest in artists that they barely get to know?

In Everyday Struggle's most controversial moment, Budden walked off of the set during an interview with Migos.

Personally, I loved owning music. And because I only had so many CD’s, I listened to the same songs over and over. I knew songs by heart, I could tell you the artist, producer, and track number instantly.

That connection with my music diminished when I began to download albums and mixtapes more, but my affinity for my favorites remained. I began keeping my music on my hard drive or transferring it from my older phones to my current one. Now, I have a huge music library that has endured three computers, four phones, and at least two mp3 players, over a span of more than 10 years.

I cannot imagine what it is like now to stream all of my music, but I know that is a reality for many listeners out there. Like the radio did in the past, these music streaming services are allowing users to relinquish control. It has again become common to let a device determine your listening habits instead of the other way around. I have my suspicions that these “user-made” playlists featured on iTunes, Spotify, or SoundCloud include the musicians that the industry wants us to hear, and maybe not so much of the ones we want to hear. Regarding the industry Budden stated, “they’re doing everything they can to cheapen the music”.

Spotify's discover playlist page. How is the music in the discover page chosen?

Recently, a friend took my Spotify account and played a new R&B act I’d never heard of. Shortly after, I got an email giving notice of the artist’s upcoming tour with early access to tickets just for streaming their stuff. This told me that there is still real value in choosing the music you listen to, as it allowed us the chance to support a fledgling artist. What are your listening habits like? How do you get your music? Do you use any of the music streaming services? Drop us a comment below.