[willvarfar]

artists sign the deals with the labels, who license it to spotify and the other streaming services?

The problem isn't that spotify isn't paying for the content, the problem is that artists sign away the rights to their content?

Is spotify the baddie here?

[Karellen]

Yes, artists have the wonderful choice of being able to sign for one of three labels, with no meaningful distinction between the deals any of them offer, because that's just how oligopolies roll. And they collude^Whave deals with spotify.

Maybe spotify and the labels suck?

https://www.promarket.org/2022/10/03/why-streaming-doesnt-pa...

[dbbk]

They could independently release through Spotify if they wanted to. They're not forced to sign to labels. And even if they were, that's not Spotify's problem.

[93po]

Getting big in music requires a lot of money and connections that I assume labels make intentionally difficult to access outside of them

[troupo]

And what would you have Spotify do in this situation? Sign artists directly? And draw the ire of those three labels who will immediately pull all their music from the service?

[Karellen]

I don't think there is anything Spotify can do themselves

...which is why legislation like the Uruguay bill is a good thing, and important.

[mptest]

True, good point. famously never exploitative music contracts. I don't think I've ever heard of a famous artist being taken advantage of via "deals".

[93po]

I hear this all the time

[HDThoreaun]

Indie artists are all on Spotify too. Neil young is basically the one one who isn’t at this point

[justsomehnguy]

There is no shortage of artists.

Note: the parent changed their comment

[boesboes]

yeah, just get a better paying job!

[madeofpalk]

Right - I'm confused how the record labels get out of this with zero criticism.

[TheOtherHobbes]

Yes, it's an industry problem. Spotify is just the latest and nastiest incarnation.