In 2021, streaming has become a crucial component for rappers to earn revenue for their music. However, T-Pain posted a list that allegedly shows that streaming might not be so profitable for some artists.
On Tuesday (Dec. 28), T-Pain jumped on his Twitter account and shared a list of how many alleged streams it takes for an artist to make $1 on various streaming platforms. According to the rapper-singer’s list, Napster’s payout of $1 begins after 53 streams, while YouTube’s payout for a buck starts after 1,250 streams. Meanwhile, major streaming services like Amazon Music and Spotify give artists a dollar after 249 and 315 streams, respectively.
Just so you know…… pic.twitter.com/t8m3PerxT9— T-Pain (@TPAIN) December 29, 2021
Reactions to T-Pain’s tweet have been mixed. Some people have suggested that artists remove their songs from the streaming platforms in protest, while others feel that streaming only benefits big-name artists in the music game.
“So why don’t musicians vote with their feet: remove all their music from all streaming platforms apart from Napster?” questioned one fan. “Genuine question here: why do musicians moan about Spotify yet support them with their music? Just step away.”
So why don’t musicians vote with their feet: remove all their music from all streaming platforms apart from Napster? Genuine question here: why do musicians moan about Spotify yet support them with their music? Just step away— mattmilton (@mattmiltonstuff) December 29, 2021
“This model is only archaic for artists who suck at making music,” tweeted one person. “Not to mention all the money from endorsements, brand deals, the actual label deal/contract, etc. Artists are making tons of money as it is.”
This model is only archaic for artists who suck at making music. Not to mention all the money from endorsements, brand deals, the actual label deal/contract, etc. Artists are making tons of money as it is— Josh Donihue (@Josh_Donkey31) December 29, 2021
On Wednesday (Dec. 29), T-Pain clarified his reasoning for sharing the streaming list to the world. The 1 Up artist was hoping it would spark other artists to think about creating a streaming service that benefits them instead of accepting the status quo.
“I see a whole lot of ‘well I guess I’ll use the best one’ and not ‘we gotta make our own’ keep in mind, most artists don’t even get the whole $1,” T-Pain wrote in his tweet. “I’m just letting the up and coming know what the real is. I worked for mine and there are tons of way around this if you move right.”
I see a lot of “well I guess I’ll use the best one” and not “we gotta make our own” keep in mind, most artists don’t even get the whole $1. I’m just letting the up and coming know what the real is. I worked for mine and there are tons of ways around this if you move right— T-Pain (@TPAIN) December 29, 2021
T-Pain’s statement is commendable. While major artists like Drake, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and the late rapper Juice Wrld garner millions of streams and earn high revenue from them, lesser-known artists aren’t getting close the financial payout in comparison. In the end, artists need to be fairly compensated for their hard work on these streaming platforms.
( Source: xxl.com)