Streaming services - The average payment to artists per stream varies by platform but generally falls between $0.003 and $0.0125 per stream, with platforms like Napster, Tidal, and Apple Music offering higher rates while Spotify and YouTube Music typically offer lower payouts. A more accurate measure is the average payout per 1,000 streams, which can range from about $3 to over $6, depending on the specific service and the subscriber's location and subscription type.
Since the beginning of time agents/managers/producers and now streaming services have been profiting from artists intellectual property legally. The artist is the primary commodity, NOT the bottom of the food chain. At best a 50/50 agreement is reasonable based on time, resources and materials spent.Â
In all their years of touring, Chubby Checker, Danny & the Juniors, the Dovells, the Shirelles... none of them saw ANY revenue from their records as they were young and naive like the rest of us. All of their revenue was touring. If you can imagine, life on the road, living in hotel rooms away from family and friends may seem exciting. It takes it's toll quickly; junk food, alcohol, infidelity... a select few of us made strides to improve our quality of life. Many of the folks we toured with have perished since covid-19.
We abhor greed and stupidity. Altho some of us still fly out for long weekends to play all over the USA, we have learned the virtues of diet and exercise. And we have also learned that if it isn't a fair deal, we have no deal. In the words of Taylor Swift, Prince, Paul McCartney... control your own music.