This Is How Much An Indie Musician Actually Makes From Spotify

Streaming revenues are a touchy topic for many musicians.  One reason this is a sensitive topic for many musicians is many artists don’t make much money at all from Spotify.  Although this is a reality for many artists, there are some musicians who have been able to make some good money from Spotify, like New York-based singer-songwriter Ron Pope.

Ron first broke onto the music scene in 2005 with his viral hit “A Drop in the Ocean.”  His music was added to Spotify in September of 2010, and through November 2013, he had over 57 million plays and they’ve paid him $334,636 with over $200,000 of that coming in 2013.  Although many say fans only buy singles nowadays, Ron also says that “fans are consuming my entire catalog rather than one specific single.”

Although these types of fantastic results haven’t happened for the majority of musicians, it is is important for you to know that it is possible…but you need to expect to work hard to get these kinds of results.  If you think you can make good music, put it on Spotify, and expect to gets tons of streams and money…think again.

You’ll not only need to make good music, you need great connections.  You must be in touch with your fanbase and make sure you give them what they want.  This may include a grassroots movement utilizing social media sites, interviews, and playing live dates on tour etc.

Just remember, it is possible to get great exposure and gain a lot of streaming revenue on Spotify, but expect to work hard to get the results you’re looking for.