Long gone are the days of Napster, LimeWire, and BitTorrent, where accessing music often came with a moral dilemma. Today, with just a monthly subscription, we have access to an extensive library of music. However, at the 2024 SXSW Conference, a pivotal question was presented: "What does the future hold for music and streaming?"
To explore this question, the Music & Tech track hosted the Featured Session Creating an Equitable Future for Artists in Streaming with speakers TOKiMONSTA and Just Blaze. These industry veterans addressed the disparities in the current streaming landscape and envisioned a more equitable future for artists.
TOKiMONSTA, renowned producer and Co-Founder of the innovative music streaming platform, Sonu, highlighted a stark reality: "What we’re seeing now is that through music streaming, current major music streaming platforms, that 70% of the revenue from these platforms are going back into the companies and not distributed to the artists." This imbalance highlights the urgency for reform within the industry.
"...connection is probably the most valuable form of currency we have in this business is build that connection. When you have that connection with your audience, they’ll always find ways to support you." – Just Blaze
To fully dive into the discourse, watch the entire Featured Session, Creating an Equitable Future for Artists in Streaming linked below and join the conversation to embark on a journey toward a more inclusive and artist-centric streaming ecosystem.
