“For one million streams on Spotify, an artist receives between $4,000 and $5,000,” says Steven Leblanc, A&R manager at Symphonic Distribution. Speaking at a conference on royalties for listening platforms organized by the M pour Montréal Festival, he pointed out the limitations of platforms like Spotify for less established artists.
“There is a way to make money on Spotify, but it requires the support of a solid team,” believes Mr. Leblanc. I seriously doubt that one person alone could make a significant income from Spotify.
But Steven Leblanc points out a paradox. Despite the relatively modest royalties that Spotify offers, artists cannot ignore the size of this platform. The Quebec group 2Frères, for example, recently finally agreed to join the platform after resisting for a long time on principle, he explains.
However, Mr Leblanc puts forward the idea that united, popular artists could form a coalition and demand cheaper royalties from Spotify. However, he believes such an event is unlikely because major artists benefit the most from Spotify royalties as they are often added to popular playlists.
“New music trends often come from emerging artists, who unfortunately are the same ones who receive the lowest royalties on streaming platforms,” says Jennifer Yoon, co-founder and president of Venice Music. She advocates for better remuneration for these artists.
Aaron Lightstone, founder and director of Music Therapy Toronto, expressed a desire for a more equitable streaming platform. “I envision a platform where, for example, if you listen to two artists and pay $10 a month, those two artists get $5 each, avoiding the disproportionate enrichment of multi-millionaire artists,” he mentions.
“The music industry is evolving so quickly that even I struggle to keep up,” says Kyria Kilakos, head of Indica Records, citing the constant challenges the industry faces.
The five panelists present at M for Montreal seemed to agree that Spotify is a source of much inequality, favoring the most listened to artists and the major labels.
There has been talk of alternatives such as Bandcamp and Deezer exploring customer-centric models, but their effectiveness has yet to be proven. It’s better to think of Spotify as an advertising tool that you can use to establish your image online. will seduce his audience, the guests concluded. To make a living from music, selling concert tickets and related products remains the most effective option.
The “M for Montreal” festival runs until Saturday at the Place des Festivals.