A lazy mans game

The Lies

All right so you're a rapper and you think you're going to make it big time. so do me a favor and tell me how you're going to do that off of music Streaming platforms. Do you know the odds against you, odds that which you can't control? Odds you can't control due to the platform, their priority system, and their algorithm. Do you know why I call online music streaming platforms the lazy way of doing business, because all you got to do is create the product and upload it and hope that the rest is done for you which it won't be. Also, keep in consideration that the whole world is on these platforms that you don't have any control over. This minimizes your opportunity for exposure and growth compared to if you had control over your music on the platform. I'm going to go ahead and show you the two most influential shareholders of Spotify alone and what they're worth is. this should give you an idea of who's really making money in the game. it's all about business, but that doesn't mean you can't make big dollars too. all I'm trying to prove is that you have to think outside the box, you have to think like these shareholders. You have to be a business person and cut out any expenses and overhead that you might have. First I'm going to Define what overhead is and then I'm going to display the shareholders.

Overhead refers to the ongoing expenses of running a business that are not directly tied to producing a specific good or service. These costs are essential for day-to-day operations but cannot be easily allocated to individual units of what the business sells.


Influential Spotify Stock Holders

• Daniel Ek: Ek is the CEO of Spotify and holds a significant share of the company's stock, though less than a majority. He also has a larger portion of the voting rights. He is worth 4.5 billion dollars! Net Worth
• Martin Lorentzon: The other co-founder, Lorentzon, also owns a substantial amount of Spotify stock and holds the largest percentage of voting rights among shareholders. He is worth 6 billion dollars Net Worth!

Do you kind of understand now what I'm trying to say? So there's going to be a lot of people that disagree with what I'm telling them, this is why I'm bulleting some of the main key points of why you shouldn't be on streaming platforms, and below I am bulleting some alternative information.

Negatives of being on streaming Platforms

• Low payouts per stream: artists a fraction of a cent per stream, which means only very popular artists make significant money directly from the platform.
• Focus on major labels: Major labels have more leverage when negotiating with streaming services, and some artists feel independent and smaller artists get squeezed out.
• Devaluation of music: Because so many songs are readily available for free (with ads) on Spotify, it can make it harder for listeners to value music and pay for it elsewhere.
• Control and ownership: On Spotify, artists have less control over how their music is presented and marketed compared to selling their music directly.
• Focus on playlisting: Some artists argue that Spotify prioritizes music chosen by algorithms for playlists over individual songs or albums, which can limit discovery for some genres or styles.
• Content moderation: A few high-profile cases of controversial content on Spotify podcasts have led some artists to object to being on the same platform.

Now just to be fair I will go ahead and highlight some of the positive things streaming platforms offer. Now if you do go on a platform with these three bullets below in mind, you could use it to your advantage by utilizing the platform temporarily and once you get that exposure and fanbase down, you can start doing the direct sales approach or independent creative sale ideas that you might come up with.

Positives of being on streaming Platforms

• Possible Exposure: massive user base, and it's a great way for artists to get their music heard by a wide audience.
• Building a fanbase: With features like playlists and recommendations, to help artists connect with new fans.
• Data and promotion: provided data about their listeners, which can be helpful for marketing and promotion.

More Alternatives

Now just to show that I'm not bogus I have listed an idea below of what you can do to drive your music in the right direction and not lose money due to greedy corporations. Now here are some strategies an artist can use to make more money selling their music directly from their own website:

    Pricing and Sales Models:

• Direct sales: This is the most straightforward approach. Artists set their own prices for downloads or streaming on their website. This gives them the highest profit margin but can limit their reach compared to established platforms.
• Pay-what-you-want: This allows fans to choose their price for the music, fostering a sense of community and potentially attracting bigger spenders who value the artist directly.
• Exclusive content: Offer bonus tracks, demos, remixes, or early access to new releases only available through your website to incentivize purchases.
• Bundled merchandise: Combine music downloads with physical merchandise like t-shirts, signed CDs, or posters to create a more attractive package deal.

    Building Fan Engagement

• Mailing list: Build an email list to directly connect with fans and announce new releases, promotions, and exclusive content. Offer music downloads or discounts as a signup incentive.
• Pre-orders: Create a buzz for upcoming releases with pre-orders, offering bonus content or discounts to early supporters.
• Exclusive memberships: Provide a tiered membership program with exclusive benefits like bonus content, live streams, or merch discounts for a recurring fee.

    Website Optimization:

• User-friendly platform: Make sure your website is easy to navigate and purchase music from. Secure payment gateways are crucial.
• High-quality music samples: Allow fans to preview music snippets before buying to encourage purchases.
• Engaging content: Showcase your music journey, and personality, and connect with fans through blog posts, behind-the-scenes videos, or photos.

    Marketing and Promotion:

• Social media promotion: Leverage social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok to promote your music website and new releases. Run targeted ads or collaborate with influencers in your genre.
• Live performances: Announce your website and music sales at live shows, and offer exclusive live recordings or merch bundles on your website.
• Collaborations: Partner with other artists or local businesses for cross-promotion opportunities, expanding your reach to new audiences.