An online petition asking streaming services — Spotify, Apple, Tidal and Youtube — to pay musicians one cent per play is gaining traction.
The request comes after Spotify CEO Daniel EK pissed off musicians worldwide in July when he said in an interview that artists “can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough. The artists today that are making it realize that it’s about creating a continuous engagement with their fans. It is about putting the work in, about the storytelling around the album, and about keeping a continuous dialogue with your fans.”
Ek added, “I feel, really, that the ones that aren’t doing well in streaming are predominantly people who want to release music the way it used to be released.”
As of this writing, the petition, which details the current measly pay structure compared to the time and costs that go into producing a song, has exceeded its goal of 35,000 signatures.
Whether any of the streaming services will take note of the petition is unlikely.
However, music fans looking for more artist-friendly options should consider Bandcamp. The platform has been waiving its revenue share via its monthly Bandcamp Fridays to get more money to artists since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March.
To date, Bandcamp reports that the initiative has “put more than $20 million directly into the pockets of artists and labels.”