NationStates

Petrolheadia wrote:A lot of musicians and music fans are criticising Spotify's streaming payouts, which are currently sitting at $0.0032 a stream, claiming that such low numbers are exploitative of the artists. Similar criticism is handed to other streaming sites, which don't seem to pay big money.

But my opinion is that they don't show the issue with streaming, but with music. A lot of musicians don't think about whether music pays enough, or whether they should look into a different field - they just go into an industry that pays pennies, and then complain about the nature of the field they voluntarily entered, instead of asking themselves whether the world needs another white boy with an acoustic guitar or black boy with a couple or rhymes. They keep complaining, and yet release their songs online - maybe because deep down they realise that this is how much their music is worth?

And what do you think? Do musicians deserve more money than that?

The Two Jerseys wrote:Simple: if you don't like how much streaming pays, then only make your music available in formats that require people to pay for it.

Dresderstan wrote:

The Two Jerseys wrote:Simple: if you don't like how much streaming pays, then only make your music available in formats that require people to pay for it.

That strategy may have worked about 10-15 years ago, now it doesn't work like that. Streaming is the future, they have to get over it, or move on from their career as a musician. People are not buying shit on iTunes en masse like they were several years ago, people are choosing to stream it on Spotify, or YouTube, where it's readily available.

Petrolheadia wrote:A lot of musicians and music fans are criticising Spotify's streaming payouts, which are currently sitting at $0.0032 a stream, claiming that such low numbers are exploitative of the artists. Similar criticism is handed to other streaming sites, which don't seem to pay big money.

But my opinion is that they don't show the issue with streaming, but with music. A lot of musicians don't think about whether music pays enough, or whether they should look into a different field - they just go into an industry that pays pennies, and then complain about the nature of the field they voluntarily entered, instead of asking themselves whether the world needs another white boy with an acoustic guitar or black boy with a couple or rhymes. They keep complaining, and yet release their songs online - maybe because deep down they realise that this is how much their music is worth?

And what do you think? Do musicians deserve more money than that?

Dresderstan wrote:

The Two Jerseys wrote:Simple: if you don't like how much streaming pays, then only make your music available in formats that require people to pay for it.

That strategy may have worked about 10-15 years ago, now it doesn't work like that. Streaming is the future, they have to get over it, or move on from their career as a musician. People are not buying shit on iTunes en masse like they were several years ago, people are choosing to stream it on Spotify, or YouTube, where it's readily available.

Soiled fruit roll ups wrote:

Petrolheadia wrote:A lot of musicians and music fans are criticising Spotify's streaming payouts, which are currently sitting at $0.0032 a stream, claiming that such low numbers are exploitative of the artists. Similar criticism is handed to other streaming sites, which don't seem to pay big money.

But my opinion is that they don't show the issue with streaming, but with music. A lot of musicians don't think about whether music pays enough, or whether they should look into a different field - they just go into an industry that pays pennies, and then complain about the nature of the field they voluntarily entered, instead of asking themselves whether the world needs another white boy with an acoustic guitar or black boy with a couple or rhymes. They keep complaining, and yet release their songs online - maybe because deep down they realise that this is how much their music is worth?

And what do you think? Do musicians deserve more money than that?

Does Spotify even have any competition?
I actually can't think of any.

Maybe wanna look at breaking it up.

Nuroblav wrote:Music isn't about money...it's about...music? This reminds me a lot of Lars Ulrich whining about people listening to his band's music for free. Money shouldn't be a problem for already successful artists (although I don't know who specifically is complaining).

Asle Leopolka wrote:

Dresderstan wrote:That strategy may have worked about 10-15 years ago, now it doesn't work like that. Streaming is the future, they have to get over it, or move on from their career as a musician. People are not buying shit on iTunes en masse like they were several years ago, people are choosing to stream it on Spotify, or YouTube, where it's readily available.

Seriously. Garth Brooks is the biggest star voicing this and he's too stubborn to realize how wrong he is.

Soiled fruit roll ups wrote:
Does Spotify even have any competition?
I actually can't think of any.

Maybe wanna look at breaking it up.

Pandora, Last.FM, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, Apple Music, and Youtube all immediately come to mind.

Soiled fruit roll ups wrote:

Petrolheadia wrote:A lot of musicians and music fans are criticising Spotify's streaming payouts, which are currently sitting at $0.0032 a stream, claiming that such low numbers are exploitative of the artists. Similar criticism is handed to other streaming sites, which don't seem to pay big money.

But my opinion is that they don't show the issue with streaming, but with music. A lot of musicians don't think about whether music pays enough, or whether they should look into a different field - they just go into an industry that pays pennies, and then complain about the nature of the field they voluntarily entered, instead of asking themselves whether the world needs another white boy with an acoustic guitar or black boy with a couple or rhymes. They keep complaining, and yet release their songs online - maybe because deep down they realise that this is how much their music is worth?

And what do you think? Do musicians deserve more money than that?

Does Spotify even have any competition?
I actually can't think of any.

Maybe wanna look at breaking it up.

Sundiata wrote:I personally would recommend becoming a music teacher or professor before trying to work as a musician. And before that, a trained student of music.

I've found that the better musicians are educated.

Petrolheadia wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I personally would recommend becoming a music teacher or professor before trying to work as a musician. And before that, a trained student of music.

I've found that the better musicians are educated.

What about the legions of people who changed music without that? Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Grandmaster Flash, N.W.A...

Uiiop wrote:

Petrolheadia wrote:A lot of musicians and music fans are criticising Spotify's streaming payouts, which are currently sitting at $0.0032 a stream, claiming that such low numbers are exploitative of the artists. Similar criticism is handed to other streaming sites, which don't seem to pay big money.

But my opinion is that they don't show the issue with streaming, but with music. A lot of musicians don't think about whether music pays enough, or whether they should look into a different field - they just go into an industry that pays pennies, and then complain about the nature of the field they voluntarily entered, instead of asking themselves whether the world needs another white boy with an acoustic guitar or black boy with a couple or rhymes. They keep complaining, and yet release their songs online - maybe because deep down they realise that this is how much their music is worth?

And what do you think? Do musicians deserve more money than that?

Art is it's own reward. Not nessiclry a thing that can override bitching about money but one that continuing to make it doesn't mean they secretly agree on their worth.
How does your armchair psychoanalysis square with people who are worthy enough to get by in this industry still complaining about it? It's not just the "Deservedly poor" complaining about this.

Sundiata wrote:I personally would recommend becoming a music teacher or professor before trying to work as a musician. And before that, a trained student of music.

I've found that the better musicians are educated.

Kannap wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I personally would recommend becoming a music teacher or professor before trying to work as a musician. And before that, a trained student of music.

I've found that the better musicians are educated.

I've found that the better musicians are the local street buskers. There's this one lady who plays some mean spoons and I love her.

Today I learned she has a Wikipedia page

Petrolheadia wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I personally would recommend becoming a music teacher or professor before trying to work as a musician. And before that, a trained student of music.

I've found that the better musicians are educated.

What about the legions of people who changed music without that? Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Grandmaster Flash, N.W.A...

Sundiata wrote:

Petrolheadia wrote:What about the legions of people who changed music without that? Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Grandmaster Flash, N.W.A...

Most popular musicians are fantastic artists but there are few who have actually mastered music as a discipline.

The best way of doing so is to receive a proper education in music. This can range from a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, or even the doctorate level.

The doctoral level is where the greatest experts reside, more often than not.

Sundiata wrote:

Kannap wrote:
I've found that the better musicians are the local street buskers. There's this one lady who plays some mean spoons and I love her.

Today I learned she has a Wikipedia page

Are you just making a point of believing the opposite of everything I do?