Recent news revealed that Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek has been investing heavily in military tech companies, which adds another ethical layer to a platform already criticized for how little it pays musicians !

Spotify only pays artists about $3–5 per 1,000 streams, using a pro-rata model that directs most money toward major stars… By contrast, Qobuz (≈$18–20 per 1,000 streams) and Tidal (≈$12–13) pay far more fairly!

However Tidal is far from ethical. Most of its revenue is controlled by private investors and founders and small artists still earn very little…

More fair-minded platforms like Bandcamp, Resonate, Ampled, or SoundCloud’s fan-powered royalties prioritize musicians over investors.

With these more ethical alternatives available, why do we keep using Spotify?

  • Lucy :3@feddit.org
    0·
    29 days ago

    Pirate and pay creators directly.
    Pirating is the objectively best, most private and future proof user experience you’re gonna get.

        • Mihies@programming.dev
          0·
          29 days ago

          You realize that bands have by their choice a contract with a label which in turn provides services to them (bands without a label don’t count since they would sell their music themselves)? If the band sells their music directly is one thing, but what you’re suggesting is simply wrong. Also donations are not meant as a mean of purchasing stuff. 🤷‍♂️

          • interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml
            1·
            29 days ago

            Yes, it is well known that Band merely contract out the business of distribution and they are not being exploited by this arrangement. Lars Ulrich told me that.

            However, I still think all intellectual property should be abolished and all art should be paid in full before production starts and I will pirate everything until then. I may send donations with my own terms to certain artists as I see fit, I do agree this is not “purchasing” I do not “purchase” art, I take it and do not recognize any need or right for compensation.

            But I do like giving them money regardless, I sent 1500$USD last year to various small artists I like to motivate them, make of that what you will. This is the only arrangement that I find acceptable.

  • BurgerBaron@piefed.socialEnglish
    0·
    28 days ago

    I find Spotify is dogshit to navigate I can’t find anything. If I let it autoplay it’ll just start playing generic shitty dance music. I don’t get it. I’ve never discovered an artist through Spotify.

    I exclusively use Bandcamp lately. Unfortunately, American owned. Looking into other suggestions here.