Spotify has released its latest Loud & Clear report, sharing details about its royalty payments to artistes and the music industry.
The company, which previously announced a $10 billion payout in 2024, presented new figures to address concerns that it does not adequately compensate musicians.
For the first time, an artiste with one stream per million on the platform reportedly earned over $10,000 in 2024—ten times more than a decade ago.
Spotify claimed that its payouts have improved, with the number of artists generating royalties tripling since 2017.
It also reported that more than 1,500 artists earned over $1 million last year, while thousands of others saw their earnings increase.
Despite these numbers, many musicians argued they are not being fairly paid.
Some Grammy-nominated songwriters recently boycotted a Spotify event, protesting a payment structure they believe has reduced their earnings. Billboard estimates that changes in the platform’s policies could cost songwriters around $150 million annually.
A separate study by Duetti suggested that Spotify lags behind its competitors in terms of artist payments.
The report claimed that in 2024, Spotify paid $3 per 1,000 streams, while Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube offered higher rates.
Spotify, however, dismissed these findings, maintaining that no streaming service operates on a fixed per-stream payout system.
Meanwhile, the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) continues to demand better compensation, particularly for independent artistes.
In collaboration with U.S. lawmakers, UMAW has been pushing for legislation to establish fairer streaming royalties.
Although Spotify insisted that its payment system is fair and that artiste earnings have grown over the years, many musicians remain dissatisfied, calling for more transparency and higher payouts.
