Spotify Streaming Controversies: Royalty Payout Issues, Licensing, and Solutions
Music streaming services have affected the music industry from both a financial and legal standpoint. Their current business model affects stakeholders such as artists, users, and investors. These services have been scrutinized recently for their imperfect royalty distribution model. Covid-19 has made these discussions even more relevant as touring income has come to a halt for musicians and the live entertainment industry. <br/>Under the current per-stream model, it is becoming exceedingly hard for artists to make a living off of streams. This forces artists to tour heavily as well as cut corners to create what is essentially “disposable art”. Rapidly releasing multiple projects a year has become the norm for many modern artists. This paper will examine the licensing framework, royalty payout issues, and propose a solution.
- Author (aut): Koudssi, Zakaria Corley
- Thesis director: Sadusky, Brian
- Committee member: Koretz, Lora
- Contributor (ctb): Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business
- Contributor (ctb): Department of Finance
- Contributor (ctb): Barrett, The Honors College