"Tidal and Apple Music pay more than Spotify" No. You're just confused. What you think is a dunk on Spotify is actually a flex for them. All of these platforms have the same basic payout setup, it's just that Spotify listeners are SO MUCH MORE ENGAGED that it drives the per stream rate down. This is (kind of) a good thing. They all do ~70% of subscription revenue split pro-rata with all songs, and they all essentially have the same subscription fees of $10.99/mo US premium. The main factors that affect payouts: 1. Where You Listen: A subscriber in India pays less than an American one, so a US stream pays more than one in India. Spotify is growing far faster than global competitors in emerging markets, which tends to bring down the per stream rate. 2. What Plan You Have: Spotify allows freemium (ad-supported) users, plus has bundles like Duo & Family6 which really bring down the per stream rate. Apple is premium only - but also have bundles. They all do. But, Rob...even Spotify premium in the US is lower than Apple - what's going on? This is where #3 comes in. 3. How Much People Stream: Platforms don't *decide* how much a per stream rate is. They simply pay it out pro-rata (by proportion of total streams). Since they all have the same basic fees & structure, the level of engagement significantly affects the rate. Spotify listeners stream far more than other platforms. This brings the per stream rate down. It's a flex, not a knock. And listen - I get it. The system is wildly broken & feels unfair, but it's important to actually understand what you're talking about when pushing for change or improvement. The main culprit here is pro-rata. We should be using fan-centric. We should have higher subscription fees. We should connect artists more directly to fans. We should provide more ways for artists to monetize. But, understand.. This passive consumption game only works at scale. We need to focus on new models that increase fandom, connection & music's value. We need to value artists. Not just "content".