Sure, you could buy CDs and rip the music, but where do you then keep the physical discs? Online music stores offer instant downloads after your purchase - no need to bother with a physical disc - and there is often a choice of different formats. Most importantly, the tracks are yours to keep and to put on whatever device you want, plus it gives the artist more money to keep making more music. When you buy digital music files, such as MP3 or FLAC, there are a number of key benefits. That's just one of the reasons it makes sense to purchase and own your music. That is, if you stop paying the monthly fee, your access to the music disappears. Streaming music from a service like Spotify or Apple Music may be great, but sadly, it's not forever.
