My friend 48V and others seem to feel that things are "good as they are."
Not at all RhythmGJ. Thanks for "quoting" me but that's nowhere near where I'm coming from mate. I'm simply attempting to point out that this is a disruptive transition that is finally beginning to turn a very long & winding corner.
Yes it's painful for many learning yet another curve ball. It sucks, yes. It has nothing to do with diligence or intelligence. But a considerable part of this new "money grab/grub" cluster-****
(for the average musician) is due primarily to a very frustrating ignorance issue. Please do not take that as a disparaging comment. Take it in the vain that most singers/songwriters/performers simply
don't know how to navigate, promote, and negotiate by this new distribution scheme.
Same as the old boss, there are those in a high castle (labels
and artists alike) that do know how and are skimming the cream off the top. But streaming services are not at the top of this food chain...they're smack dab in the middle of a very tight viper pit.
Yes, some in the chain do take advantage and artists' hands are many times tied contractually and "independently" at various points along the way, but there
are ways that artists small, medium and large can maximize/exploit the streaming system. So not it's not, as you say I said, "things are good as they are"...my spiel toward the artist, band, or small indy label is that it's an eat or be eaten and/or lemons to lemonade state of the business.
I'm not trying to be some dickweed antagonist here. I'm honestly trying to help steer artists and musicians such as yourself forward through some muddy & choppy water.
..... I have a _lot_ of plays, but I can't reach $20??
Labels used to work with 10ths of a penny, now it seems we are dealing with 1000ths and 10,000ths of a penny.
In 1977, 40 years ago we happily paid that for one album (not adjusted for inflation)! The artists got a hell of a lot more than .001 cent per song on that lp too.. The ripoff that was going on back then simply cannot be compared to what is happening today. The math doesn't support it.
OK. That all sounds extremely egregious. Let's examine and discuss (for
perspective) this micro accounting ballyhoo.
"Lots of plays"
"1000ths and 10,000ths of a penny"
"hell of a lot more than .001 cent per song"
Let me begin with asking you individually and jointly,
--How many plays/listens is "a lot"?
--What would you deem fair as a royalty per listen from an on-demand streaming service to pay to the rights holder?
--What would you deem fair as a royalty payment per listen from an online radio station/webcaster?
--How much do you think/know the average artist/band receives from the sale of a $16 retail CD?
No trick questions here. I and others really want to hear some clear and factual feedback/numbers from both camps on your side of the streaming fence; an artist and an average consumer. Well,
@Alobar is probably not average, but I'm fairly convinced he is an honest music consumer.
I'd also like to prod new member
@Alan LaFleur back into this mix as another real world payee. All ears fellas.