The distribution of the sums generated by subscriptions on streaming listening platforms largely benefits rappers.

But this system is more and more often denounced by other artists, which could push the government to impose a new model of remuneration. 

INVESTIGATION

The 36th edition of the Victoires de la Musique is being held on Friday evening, and it's a safe bet that the artists most in demand on platforms like Spotify, Deezer or Apple Music occupy a prominent place among the various winners.

Streaming is growing at 20% per year, but is it really profitable for artists who only make pennies per click?

Last September, in France, 15,000 artists challenged the Minister of Culture in a forum demanding fair remuneration for streaming, and the establishment of a more equitable model.

This question is at the heart of a study unveiled by the National Music Center, which notably proposes to rethink the remuneration logic of these giants of online listening.

Why does the platform remuneration system greatly benefit rappers? 

The ten euros spent each month for a Spotify or Deezer subscription go into a common pot, then the platform distributes this money between the artists and the labels according to the success of their title, their listening volume.

The more a song is listened to, the more money the artist earns.

Thus, the money spent by each subscriber does not necessarily end up in the pockets of the artists that they have personally listened to.

The system therefore favors the artists who are the most listened to on the platform, who are often rappers, very popular with young listeners, as explained to Europe 1 Louis-Alexis de Gemini, the general manager of Deezer.

"A young person aged 15 to 25 listens to songs up to 1,000 / 1,500 times per month, while an older profile listens rather 400 to 600 streams per month. Mechanically, the artists most listened to by the youngest are favored because their market share increases thanks to the listening of their fans. "

We should also add that on each subscription, the platform charges 30% for its operating costs.

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On average, how much do artists reach through platforms?

The amount actually received via the platforms by each artist is difficult to estimate, it also depends on the contracts they have signed with their label.

But 90% of them receive less than 1,000 euros per year, even if they have been listened to hundreds of thousands of times.

Jean-Noël Scherrer, leader of the Lyon rock group Last Train, which has had real success on listening platforms, admits that these are far from being at the heart of their economic model.

"On a group like ours, the economy is in the live. The sale of records brings little income, streaming even less", he summarizes.

"It has a tiny weight compared to a sale of records in merchandising, after a concert for example. It takes a really considerable number of streams before you can estimate that number as a sale of records."

What are the avenues for rebalancing the economic model of platforms?

A solution to this situation, and which is starting to seriously interest artists and platforms, is called

user centric

: a subscription that only pays artists listened to by the subscriber.

Once the operating cost is deducted by the platform, the money is shared between the artists the user has clicked on.

According to projections, this model would see rock bands increase their revenues by 13%, and those who make classical music by 26%.

In contrast, rappers would lose around four million euros per year.

This line of study, however, remains supported by Deezer and the Ministry of Culture, which therefore gives it a good chance of success.