Wouldn’t it be great if Spotify (and streaming sites more generally) paid more per stream? Wouldn’t it be awesome to earn $0.01 every time your music was played, instead of the current $0.003? In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David expands on a blog post he originally wrote in August 2020, explaining why a cent per stream won’t save the music business. While he agrees with the movement in general, he also illuminates the many threats that would make a cent per stream a drop in the bucket. In This Episode: Why a cent per stream isn’t going to save the music business What “decimal money” is How the economics actually work out when you’re paid a cent per stream Why increasing income from streaming would be like a drop in the bucket Why there will always be societal issues looming over artists Key Resources: The Renegade Musician: Step out of the shadow of the old music career model Why I Don’t Think 1 Cent Per Stream on Spotify is Going to Save the Music Business: the blog post referred to in this episode A Cent Per Stream on Spotify In this video, David alludes to a blog post he published in August 2020 titled “Why I Don’t Think 1 Cent Per Stream on Spotify is Going to Save the Music Business.” Here are the key takeaways from this resource: Oftentimes, it’s just as easy (or hard) to get people to pay $300 for a product as it is to get them to pay $0.0003. So, why put all your time, energy, and resources into Spotify? There are so many other ways to earn a higher income on the effort spent – advertising, donations, affiliate marketing, merchandise, bundles, memberships, and more. Increased restriction and policing of the platforms. Whether YouTube or Facebook, it seems like new policies go into place every other week, restricting creators from speaking their minds, reaching their audiences, and getting clicks. Banning, shadow banning, account closures, and even active censorship frequently put creators in a position of compromise, especially when relying exclusively on big tech platforms. The harmful effects of net neutrality and localization. This is already happening. The internet is no longer the same, across the world, for every person. Access depends on where you live, the device you’re using, who you identify as, and more. If you weren’t already feeling like a needle in a haystack, net neutrality and localization reduce your chances of being seen, heard, and discovered. And wasn’t that the core value proposition of the internet for artists, that you could reach a worldwide fan base? The possibility of mass consolidation of the internet. What if the internet wasn’t a massive collection of websites and apps, but rather a single central hub where people were forced to go to do everything? What if a single company made all the rules? What if they controlled and regulated all your activities? This hasn’t happened yet, but it poses a greater threat to independent creativity on the internet than just about anything else. You’re Invited to Subscribe to The David Andrew Wiebe Show Thanks for tuning in. If you enjoyed this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, take a moment to subscribe to receive updates for future episodes, along with weekly digests and empowering independent artist recommendations sent directly to your inbox. We’re here to help you achieve your passion goals. Until next time, stay empowered.
