Many believe that Spotify does not adequately compensate artists. However, the Swedish company is determined to prove otherwise. The music streaming sector is booming, with subscription prices on the rise, while applications like Muffon advocate for free audio streaming. While major stars may not have complaints, others, like Kate Nash, have vocally protested against streaming compensation conditions, particularly at Spotify.
In an effort to counter rumors of underpaying artists, Spotify recently revealed its financial contributions. With 500 million people currently subscribing to premium music streaming services, over half are subscribed to Spotify. In a recent announcement, Daniel Ek's company stated that it has significantly contributed to the music industry since its app's launch, having paid more than $60 billion in total, including $10 billion in 2024, to artists and publishers alike.
This announcement follows closely after the release of a report by Duetti, a platform advocating for fair artist compensation. Its findings are clear: Spotify's payments are the lowest by far, with competitors like Amazon and Apple Music paying two to three times more. Spotify's spokesperson dismissed these claims as "ridiculous and unfounded." The report also pointed out that the introduction of the Discover mode has increased pressure on artists, who now need to be streamed more to earn the same amount of money.
