[stfwn]

For me, the fact that artists get paid so little of what I would pay Spotify ruins it.

There are various numbers floating around the internet and they are are all in the range of fractions of a cent per play, which is a weird metric to begin with. At $0.00473 per play [0], an artist needs ~100k plays to earn 500 bucks. Then has to be divided up between the label, songwriters, musicians, producers and whoever else was involved in the project.

Compare this to me buying their album on Bandcamp, where anyone can sell their work and keep 85% to 90% of the money [1]. I get to have lossless files on disk forever + streaming while Bandcamp lasts, and the artist gets more money, more control over the distribution and an (opt-in at buy) email list to update their fanbase.

Clearly the era of musicians that are not pop stars earning decent money by selling audio is over, but this is one of the things I like to spend a little more time and money on.

[0]: https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/12/25/streaming-music-...

[1]: https://bandcamp.com/pricing

[pjc50]

See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22288645 - if the correct number is $0.00473 that's close to half of Spotify's revenue for streaming that in the first place.

[stfwn]

For Bandcamp it’s at least 85% based on the fact that their cut is 15 to 10%. Less than half looks pretty bad in comparison I would say.

The _only thing_ Spotify is doing here is distribution. That is some brutal split if you ask me. The only thing holding them back from converting their user numbers into a more silly-level profit margin, like a proper Silicon Valley SaaS, is the power of a handful of major record labels, which in turn hold the artists by the balls.

As in most online industries nowadays, the ones doing the real work get the smallest piece of the pie. The best course of action for them would be to decentralize, which is entirely possible, but deep pockets need to kickstart that process and there is zero incentive for them to do that.

[stevenwliao]

Distribution is "real work". Artists can publish under their own label, but finding and reaching an audience is hard work.

[wwweston]

The fact that it's half of Spotify's revenue isn't a justification, it's essentially an admission that the whole model was never a particularly viable one for recording artists.

[pjc50]

It also has to be viable for the users paying for it, or they'll go back to taping it off the radio.

[I-M-S]

Of all the threats mentioned in this thread, this one sounds the least dangerous

[therealdrag0]

I've never bought an album in my life. I like Spotify. Millions do. People want to pay for choice, not pay to commit to a single album.

[benhurmarcel]

A big difference is that they reach a lot more plays since there are platforms like Spotify, compared to when you had to buy the album.

[anthonypasq]

nonw of this makes Spotify a bad product.