AfterDawn: News

Songwriters make $0.000126 per play on Beats Music

The Trichordist has posted a very interesting document this week, one that shows some in-depth figures about the Beats Music service that is set to be acquired by Apple for over $3 billion.

In the document it is revealed that the service has just 110,000 subscribers, 49,000 individual and 61,000 family plans (most likely through the service's partnership with carrier AT&T).



For the month ended March 31st, the service saw nearly 180 million plays and the service brought in a revenue of just $417,000. Labels collected $248,000 of that figure, while songwriters collected just $23,000 in royalties, good for $0.000126 per play. Market leader Spotify, with over 8 million paying customers, songwriters collect between $0.006 and $0.0084 per play, a significantly higher amount.

Although it is not official (yet), Apple's purchase of Beats is reportedly so the company can have its own streaming music service and the ability to sell high-margin headphone accessories with their devices.



Source:
Trichordist

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 May 2014 17:21

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• 5 comments

• hearme0

  I'm sorry but is this a surprise to anybody??????????
  
  It's just like the record labels.
  
  This is PRECISELY why I will ALMOST NEVER 'buy' actual music as the artists see barely any of it. Average artist is compensated 7 cents an album, NOT A SONG but rather an "album".
  
  The real money is when the music is acquired illicitly and people listen then go to the concert and pay 35 bucks for a 2 dollar T-shirt.
  
  No one should feel guilty for pirating music........EVER!
  
  Now pirating movies, that's totally different and the impact is completely unrelated to the music industry.

  14.5.2014 19:55 #1

• KillerBug

  You can purchase directly from the artist in many cases...especially in the cases when the artist is smaller and actually needs the money. Pirating emminem or something...yeah, I don't care. Pirating from someone who tours in a cargo van? Go to h**l.
  

  
  

  15.5.2014 15:29 #2

• ivymike

  Originally posted by hearme0:
  Now pirating movies, that's totally different and the impact is completely unrelated to the music industry. Not really. Hollywood movie companies are run by multi-billion dollar corporations who are always finding new ways to squeeze every nickel & dime from the consumer.
  
  Long live P2P.
  

  15.5.2014 23:48 #3

• Mrguss

  Originally posted by ivymike: ....are run by multi-billion dollar corporations who are always finding new ways to squeeze every nickel & dime from the consumer.
  
  Long live P2P. Agree.
  Now with the purchase of Beats Music by Apple: Songwriters should expect -50% of these $0.000126 per play.
  
  I great MOTO to NEVER BUY from iTunes or any Crapple products ever.
  

  Live Free or Die.
  The rule above all the rules is: Survive !
  Capitalism: Funnel most of the $$$ to the already rich.

  16.5.2014 16:03 #4

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by Mrguss: NEVER BUY from iTunes or any Crapple products ever. One of many, many reasons.
  

  
  

  16.5.2014 16:31 #5