Spotify Streams: Is It All Just a Big Scam?

[@vincescuderi]

yes. you're not alone many artists are bemoaning the streaming situation not to justify things but artists have been taken advantage of for decades. great video/advice. solution? none on me at the moment, unless i come into a billion dollars and start competition for spotify. i actually make statements for various publishers from reports from a clearing house. royalties are calculated in micro pennies. not pennies, micro pennies. one stream equals something like .00004 of a penny. kind of criminal.

[@GregoryAgid]

Competition for spotify... I think the money in this industry is in creating the platform for others to upload to! I also LOVE micro pennies, the future currency of artist. Thanks for commenting! Gregory

[@kaywayneflor89]

The low amount they pay is eye opening 😮. Is it still true today that a musician true source of income would be from concerts or touring? When I was younger the goal was to make a record (showing my age 😂), hope a local radio station would play the record to get the song out to people, with the hopes that those people would pay to come see you play that same song live. Sadly, even then artists were often scamed by the record company or venue they would perform, many dying famous, but bankrupt. I totally agree artists should also know business and how to best market their "product" so they dont fall victim as ones did in the past and some are sadly falling victim now. For example take what they have made with their art and invest in the way you nicely demonstrate in the video.

[@GregoryAgid]

Hey! Yes, I think the majority of musician income comes from live performance, merchandise, teaching, and private engagements. I can very much relate to your aspirations of creating a record. I think we should still aspire to create great recording, but we need to be creative in how we sell and market them. Financial literacy and creative is key! Best of luck in your journey.

[@lyndafoster9437]

Gregory WE ALL NEED MONEY. And you are producing an album and NEED TO GET PAID. You work your ass off you are devoted to your music and we want to hear your music. So. We have to learn how to get paid. Is it selling the albums ? Or have a website. Maybe ask Rick Beato he goes at it with artists because they don’t want him playing their music for free! Do you need a website that sells your music. I guess you have that. I don’t. Know. But I am going to figure out how to buy your albums and when I get back home to Palm beach. I’m buying a vinyl player!!! 💃🎼🎵🎵♥️

[@asheqmusic]

If Spotify doesn't make their money from streams, why would artists accept the same form of payment? Their income is generated via investors and subscriptions. They can't make as much money if artists get a piece of where it comes from, thus the pay-per-stream system. They are literally paying out pennies compared to what's generated. The real question isn't whether Spotify is a scam, but why artists still depend on a system, company, etc. that clearly isn't designed to help them win (unless they benefit from an under-the-table deal). To "restrategize" to buying Spotify stock still does not move artists toward a solution.