Episode 4: Musicians’ low income is caused by Spotify

In today's digital music era, Spotify, as the leading streaming music platform, was once hailed as the savior of the music industry, promising to bring unprecedented income opportunities to musicians.However, as its market value soars and its user base continues to expand, facts have proven that the lives of many musicians have not been substantially improved.

Bobby T, a little-known name in the music circle, is the epitome of this change.As a high school classmate of Daniel Ek, she also had a love and dream for music.Unlike Daniel's business acumen and vision, Bobby T chose a more pure creative path.Her songs receive 200,000 views on Spotify every month. This number may be dazzling enough in the eyes of ordinary people, but for her, it is far from being able to support the pressure of life.

Faced with the cruel reality, Bobby T had to choose to sing in a bar to supplement his meager income.However, even this income is often withheld, and the bosses exploit the hard work of musicians on the grounds of “ publicity effect ”.Bobby T’s experience is not an isolated case, but a common dilemma faced by most musicians.

The time has come from 2024 to 2025. As musicians are increasingly dissatisfied with Spotify, waves of condemnation come one after another.Bobbi T became a representative of this group, and she sent a request for dialogue to Daniel Ek through the online platform.Her appeal is not only for herself, but also for all musicians struggling in difficulties.

However, Daniel Ek's response was disappointing.He unblocked Bobby T on Instagram, a move that undoubtedly exacerbated the conflict between the two parties.At the hearing in the United States, Daniel Ek expressed his grievances.He pointed out that record companies and copyright giants took away nearly 70% of Spotify’s revenue, and the low income of musicians cannot be entirely attributed to the platform itself.

The incident sparked widespread discussion.Where does the future of the music industry go?How can the rights of musicians be truly protected?These problems not only plague Bobby T and Daniel Ek, but are also challenges that the entire music industry needs to face together.

Although Bobbi T's struggle failed to immediately change the status quo, her courage and persistence undoubtedly gave a voice to the musician community and reminded people of the difficulties faced by this group.Music is not only entertainment, but also the embodiment of culture and art.The protection of musicians’ rights and interests is not only related to their personal livelihoods, but also to the healthy development of the entire music industry.