The WAN Show We’re At The Breaking Point - WAN Show December 26, 2025
Dec 26, 2025
Linus and Luke dive into the impact of piracy on music and academia, examining shifting morals and how streaming has changed perceptions. They tackle YouTube's algorithm fatigue and its effects on creators, while also discussing chilling statistics around ad metrics. The duo sheds light on memory shortages due to AI demands and Valve's discontinuation of the Steam Deck. They humorously touch on Linus Jr.'s budding media career and share personal anecdotes, including holiday family fun and motorcycle woes.
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Streaming Catalogs Are Fragile
- Anna's Archive released ~86M Spotify audio files and 256M metadata rows to 'preserve' music, exposing how fragile streaming-only access is.
- The scrape highlights that streaming availability is ephemeral and many listeners treat subscriptions as sufficient backup.
Piracy Acceptance Varies By Medium
- Pirate acceptance varies wildly by medium: TV and books are commonly pirated while music feels less targeted since streaming subscriptions exist.
- Luke and Linus note cultural and technical shifts made music piracy less central than in Napster days.
Buy DRM-Free Music Directly
- If you want DRM-free music, use stores like iTunes or Bandcamp to buy and keep local copies rather than relying solely on subscriptions.
- Buy direct from artists when possible to support creators and retain permanent access.