Forum | Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services by R_from_afar

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Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services 13:16 - Dec 4 with 3039 views

I had already seen this sobering information from the band The Black Dog

but within the last few days, American rock band Echolyn posted this:

https://scontent.ffab1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/407285924_764589865665987_8

Clearly, major global artists will make a tidy sum from music streaming but it's pretty sobering, to me at least, how little lesser and up and coming artists make from it.

"Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1."

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 13:24 - Dec 4 with 3010 views

BklynRanger

Yeah that table really get the point across.

I may feel I'm supporting an artist by listening to their stuff on spotify, but I'd have to listen to a song 314 times for them to get even $1.
Jesus Christ. Had no idea it was that low of a return.

I'm trying to cut down on my expenses at the minute, but I might still switch to Tidal - at least they're slightly closer to fair. (It's all relative of course).

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 13:25 - Dec 4 with 3007 views

dannyblue

For stuff by living artists I tend to buy through bandcamp...that seems to be the most direct means of chucking cash their way...even better than merch or gigs which have costs attached.

For stuff by dead people something like soulseek is good. I don't see the need to chuck cash at whoever's bought the rights to their back catalogue or to their estate, and for the more obscure stuff there often isn't even anyone to pay anyway.

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 13:34 - Dec 4 with 2985 views

Juzzie

My dad, who is a retired musician, pretty much posted the same today on his facebook page.

Streaming works for the top 1% of global megastars but is sh*t for the other 99% who can't wax lyrical on ticktox, X etc about their 1 billionth stream.

However, as we are force-fed those 1% on a daily basis the notion is that streaming is OK but I think people are waking up to the reality.

I've seem the physical market and those it supports (factories, printers, material suppliers, distribution, production (me!), studios etc.) decimated over the last 20 years.

Maybe it might just come back and hold its own but can't ever see it being a force again unless it's supported by all of the 99% as long as they refuse to go digital. Risky game to play though.

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 14:08 - Dec 4 with 2924 views

baz_qpr

Some people might know that this is my side hobbie. I've been doing it about 18 months and I've racked up about 50,000 streams with about 30,000 listeners. I have earnt a total of $47 from that.

To market a track just to get it off the ground to a few thousands streams is going to cost around £150 a pop.

The bottom line is that in order to make money and a career that you can live off, you need to be playing at events, DJing, selling merch or if you are very lucky have a massive hit or get paid by a record label to do some production work. Its worth noting that Apple pay much better, but have fewer marketing tools and usage has fallen of a cliff in the last decade.

The way it used to work was a record label paid for the recording and all the marketing. The artist would get a % for the recording sales and depending on what deals they had done either all or a % of the publishing rights (radio play, outside broadcast, TV, resell covers etc). The record companies would recoup their investment first on the record sales before the points kicked in they did this through an advance that the artist would be obliged to pay back, that advance pays for everything. Again only the biggest selling stuff made money. I used to work in recording studios in the Britpop era and some of those bands that are household names were on effective tiny salaries not much more than I was earning. I remember being shocked how little some like Louise Wener from Sleeper was bringing in a year (less than a retail store manager)

The costs of production are now so much lower, you can make music at home to a professional standard, you dont have to create physcial media and ship it to a store etc etc . However consumer now pay a tenner a month for streaming, free on YouTube. You can access anything. You would have been paying the equivilent of £15 - £20 per album and maybe buy a couple of those a month and maybe copy your mates etc. So none of the tech and productivity gains have gone to the Artist. They were always screwed over unless mega successful its just its the tech companies doing it now.

I'm not in it for the money, I do it because I love making music and if I think its good enough I want other people to hear it.

If you are interested you can find my latest track on this link tree to all the streaming platforms etc https://music.flashryan.com/thepredator

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 14:13 - Dec 4 with 2909 views

TheChef

Let alone the death of physical media.

You don't have to burn books, etc. You can just make them disappear.

But that's OK - by 2030 the WEF say you won't own anything and you'll be happy.

Poll:

How old is everyone on here?

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 14:30 - Dec 4 with 2879 views

dannyblue

I've made £65 on bandcamp (after their cut). From some edits I put up over 10 years ago. Traffic comes from Soundcloud. I reckon that's enough to claim to be a professional musician?

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 16:01 - Dec 4 with 2797 views

TommyQPR

I wonder what percentage an artist would receive from a CD?

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 20:19 - Dec 4 with 2684 views

R_from_afar

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 16:01 - Dec 4 by TommyQPR
I wonder what percentage an artist would receive from a CD?

There's some insight here from 2013 which says it's 13% of the purchase price.

The key section: "About 13% goes to the artists, while 30% goes to the label, with a 17% cut going to the government in the form of VAT (applied at 20% and therefore 1/6 of purchase price). About 17% goes to the retailer, while the rest goes to manufacturers (9%), distributors (8%) and the spend on administering copyright (6%)".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23840744

"Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1."

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 20:59 - Dec 4 with 2623 views

Landshark

Weird Al Yankovic just released a video recently saying he had 80 million streams in 2023 and made a grand total of $14

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 21:03 - Dec 4 with 2615 views

Boston

Why stick to musicians, there are lots of professions, occupations being shafted in the age of 'new media'.

Poll:

Thank God The Seaons Over.

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 08:06 - Dec 6 with 2458 views

Spaceman_P

I'm a musician and have my own record label. I earned a whopping £12 last year from the PRS as for Spotify I think i've never seen anything from them.

i've made decent money on Bandcamp but they've made some new changes recently which kind of should scare new musicians.

I sadly feel that digital services have changed a lot in music, the whole industry changed in the 2000s and has subsequently gotten worse.

In terms of music now, there are no music cults like previous. Even in the early 2000s you'd still have music cults amongst the youth. There'd be Skinheads, Metalheads, Indie kids, Punks etc Now not so much.

Also now, you've got the whole world open to young people. So unlike before when you used to have to search for music in shops and take a punt. A kid today can basically have Captain Beefheart on and then the next moment Otis Redding, basically everything is there. So what that means is you don't really have a music which is "yours".

When I was 16, I found Pebbles Volume 2 and 3 compilations by chance just cos it said psychedelic on the front cover and that kick-started a deep fascination with 60s punk and garage music and 60s music in general. At that time when you met a fellow "head" you clicked and felt like you were one of a select few - an us versus them vibe. I also am really into punk and indie music up until the early 90s (Shoegaze was the last original UK music scene imo) I dip into some other genres and bands after - but my listening habits are basically 50s until 1992.

But now, every person has access to everything and it's lost the magic.

A few years ago, I met a 13 year old kid who liked Iggy and Stooges which was great, he then said he liked Jesus and Mary Chain too... which is equally great. But then you think that this kid, never got the chance to find the music like I did.... he just found it all from a click of a button and probably hasn't even digested the albums properly.

Basically Spotify has ruined the experience of music.

Going to gigs, chatting to some random bloke based on his pin badge or band t-shirt. I remember once at Shepherds bush empire, I was invited to someone girls flat just based on striking up conversation about the band t-shirt she wore. I don't think kids are getting these experiences today sadly.

[Post edited 6 Dec 2023 8:12]

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 08:50 - Dec 6 with 2404 views

Metallica_Hoop

I didn't realise it was so little, I don't use spotify I buy the MP3 or CD.

I bought 2 CD's from a Dutch band last month and they sent me a hand written thank you note.

I used to hang around with some upcoming bands about 13 years ago (guest list 'talli) and their main interest was getting people through the door of a gig, one of the guitar players now plays big festivals with another band but everyone else I know seems to have nothing to do with music now which is a shame.
I guess the money just wasn't there.

It doesn't help they keep closing the venues/pubs they used to play like 'The Gaff' and 'The Purple Turtle' Camden to name just two.

Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 08:57 - Dec 6 with 2388 views

slmrstid

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 20:59 - Dec 4 by Landshark
Weird Al Yankovic just released a video recently saying he had 80 million streams in 2023 and made a grand total of $14

I've seen that video and I think its quite obvious he is exaggerating a bit for humour as that's his style anyway, he'll have made a lot more money than just a sandwich from his 80 million streams on Spotify.

Still not mega bucks sure, but more than a sandwich's worth.

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 09:02 - Dec 6 with 2378 views

MarioObrien

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 08:57 - Dec 6 by slmrstid
I've seen that video and I think its quite obvious he is exaggerating a bit for humour as that's his style anyway, he'll have made a lot more money than just a sandwich from his 80 million streams on Spotify. Still not mega bucks sure, but more than a sandwich's worth.

yes when I play teaching feeling apk español at https://modilimitado.com/teaching-feeling and listen to music they are really interesting because of this perfect combination

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 09:15 - Dec 6 with 2347 views

silky

It's why I only release my music on Vinyl. I'll do digital alongside vinyl but not just digital as its an insult to the artist on what they get in return from streaming sites.

They wouldn't exist without the artists and yet they treat them terribly for their hard work.

Spotify are literally the worse for it. Tidal are better but the whole system is a shambles.

Problem is the end user has no idea most of the time.

Poll:

Do you think this current QPR team has got what is takes to go up this year?

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 10:56 - Dec 6 with 2267 views

PunteR

I pay for all my music( apart from a few demos here and there) although i have spotify my kids are the only ones that use it in my house..
I had this discussion with my oldest lad who just had his stat report( whatever its called). Drake of course is up there. And Dave...

He just doesn't get it. He equates numbers of streams to good music. Got a billion streams so must be good. I've listened to it and it's shite!
Even the DJ world is going into streaming music into the mixer for sets now. Saw some Boiler room set and this lad was playing from his phone for ffs!.
The kids don't care.
Obviously some still do but it's an uphill challenge from now on for artists.
Bandcamp is good. Buying on a Friday means all the money you pay goes to the artist.
I'll still buy vinyl when I can but it's expensive so I'm quite selective these days.
Beatport ,Juno Traxsource, Bandcamp for Digital. Phonica, Defstar, kniteforce and Bandcamp for vinyl.

Occasional providers of half decent House music.

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 11:38 - Dec 6 with 2218 views

Spaceman_P

For my label, let me give you an example of how things have changed.

around 8 years ago I could buy 300 7" vinyl for £700 quid, now it's over a grand.

I used to happily charge £5 for a 7" now I have to sell for £8 and some labels even sell a 7" for a tenner or more, which I think is stupid. £5 is a good price for a 7" record.

I only release 7" records because it is a dying format and would be a shame to go.

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 11:56 - Dec 6 with 2198 views

SheffieldHoop

I've had spotify for 10+ years and have discovered loads of music/artists through it which I potentially couldn't/wouldn't have without it. They advertise Merch, Gigs etc on the artist page and is the main way I hear about upcoming shows. The Discover & New Release playlists allow new artists to break through in a big way. I've seen loads of acts live that I only discovered through Spotify. It also doesn't take up loads of memory on your phone so you have more space for pictures of your kids etc. I think it's great.

WRT the licensing issues....It's important to remember that Spotify happened because of Torrents. The arse had fallen out of the industry due to piracy long before Spotify came along as a solution. The current generation supposedly destroying the industry via Spotify are not the same people who used to buy CD's in HMV, rip them and upload to Pirate Bay.

"Someone despises me. That's their problem." Marcus Aurelius

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 13:50 - Dec 6 with 2118 views

PunteR

Off topic: Insight into what artists earn from music streaming services on 11:56 - Dec 6 by SheffieldHoop

Yeh I wouldn't really blame youngsters using Spotify as they don't know any better. It's a shame but that's just how it is. It's good to see vinyl continue to make a comeback though. There are still young producers and DJs on the dance scene using vinyl. It helps that there's a 90s fashion/ sub culture resurgance atm.

Occasional providers of half decent House music.

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