Nielsen study suggests music streaming likely increases listener's odds of buying record

Depending on who you ask, album streaming is either the best or worst thing in the world. If you ask the average listener, services such as Spotify are the greatest thing ever. Just about any album available at any point, with a few ads sprinkled in between songs. Performers such as The Arcade Fire and Eminem have recently sent fans running for computers when their albums were released early via streams. On the other side of the spectrum however, are musicians such as Thom Yorke and Roger Waters, who question streaming services' relationships with record labels and the profitability of such strategies for new bands.

New Nielsen research suggests that streaming actually benefits performers, although it doesn't clarify how it affects bands based on size of the act.

According to the report, the users of streaming services might like getting a free preview, but they're also more likely to jump for the actual album. The survey, which was based on a survey of 2,600 music listeners, found that those who used streaming services spent 54 percent more on recorded music. This suggests that even in an era plagued by illegal downloads, listeners who get a free sample are still willing to spend money on an album even when they can listen again for free online.

The study also indicates that the use of streaming services have increased drastically since a similar survey was given last year. In 2013, 68 percent of those surveyed indicated that they used such a service, compared to only 40 percent in 2012.