The podcast discusses how streaming revenue is structured to favor major rights holders over independent artists, leading to unfair payouts. It highlights the issues within the pro-rata payment model, which dilutes artist earnings, and argues for a shift toward user-centric systems that align payments with actual listener support. Streaming should be a tool for discovery, not a primary revenue source.
The post discusses how indie artists are often underpaid, functioning as unpaid data workers within the current music economy. They create music, generate engagement, and manage essential metadata yet receive minimal compensation. The article advocates for artists to build direct relationships with their audiences, shifting away from reliance on platforms, and emphasizes the importance of developing owned ecosystems for sustainable income.