You non-musicians may not know this, but Spotify pays next to nothing (if not nothing) to musicians. I submit this sales report as proof of their lack of fairness and generosity.

So why do we put up with it? They have 32% of global subscribers and 36% of U.S. paid subscribers according to MIDIA Research. So unfortunately, an artist is ignoring a third of the market if they don’t relent. Unfortunately, the path to the listening public lies directly through a putrid swamp of greed.

Per my earlier posts, the recording business began to unravel in the late 1900s with the advent of Napster and soon after, companies like Spotify and Pandora could crow about offering “legal” downloads while they themselves paid next to nothing to the artist.

Stiffing musicians is good business. In 2024 Spotify’s stock appreciated 142% and Daniel Ek sold $179 million in stock. 2025 was a modest year for the company as the stock only increased 30-42% depending on the trading day.