This Friday, music fans will finally get to hear one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Just where and how they'll hear it, however, remains an open question.

That's because pop superstar Adele (whose last album, 21, continues to shatter sales records nearly five years after its release) has yet to confirm whether her new LP, 25, will be "streamable" — that is, available to hear on-demand from services like Spotify, Rdio and Tidal.

As part of the regular segment "Words You'll Hear," host Michel Martin speaks with Piotr Orlov, a contributing editor with NPR Music, about the economic gambit of withholding music from streaming platforms, and what Adele stands to lose or gain this week. Hear their conversation at the audio link.

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