The Evolving Landscape of Music Streaming: Insights from Duetti’s 2024 Report

In the ever-changing world of music streaming, understanding the economics behind royalty payouts is crucial for independent artists. Duetti, a company dedicated to expanding financial opportunities for the independent music community, has released its 2024 report, offering valuable insights into the current state of the music streaming economy[3]. Let’s dive into the key findings from their research.

Stabilization of Earnings per Stream

After years of decline, earnings per stream are finally showing signs of stabilization[7]. In 2024, 1,000 streams generated an average of $3.41, representing a decrease of less than 2% compared to 2023[7]. This stabilization can be attributed to two main factors:

1. Consumer price increases translating into higher royalty payouts[1]
2. The growing “wallet share” of YouTube, largely at the expense of Spotify[3]

[Insert Chart: Earnings per 1,000 streams over time]

Source: https://report.duetti.co/

The YouTube Challenge

YouTube is emerging as a significant challenger to Spotify’s dominance, particularly in certain genres[1]. The platform’s varied rate structure, which depends on the underlying revenue source, has resulted in an average payout rate that competes favorably with other major streaming services[3]. From 2023 to 2024, YouTube’s “wallet share” increased by 3%, while Spotify’s decreased by 2%[3]. In genres like Electronic/Dance, YouTube’s “wallet share” increased by 17%, while Spotify’s decreased by the same amount[3].

[Insert Chart: Payout rates by streaming platform]

Source: https://report.duetti.co/

The TikTok Effect on Royalties

While TikTok has become a powerful platform for music discovery and viral trends, its impact on streaming royalties is less straightforward[3]. According to Duetti’s research:

• Only 15% of songs that “go viral” on TikTok see increases in royalty payouts[1][3]
• Virality is defined as doubling TikTok video creations using that track within one month, with a minimum of 250K TikTok video creations
• Long-term streaming growth is defined as a >30% increase in average Spotify streams over the pre-viral baseline, recorded 4 months after the viral moment

This data suggests that while TikTok can provide exposure, it doesn’t guarantee a corresponding increase in streaming revenue[3].

Niche Genres Outperform Mainstream

An interesting finding from the report is that niche genres tend to generate more earnings per stream than mainstream ones[1][3]. Genres like Goth Punk and Hyperpop are generating 8% higher earnings per stream compared to mainstream genres[1]. This insight could be valuable for independent artists considering their genre focus and target audience.

The Impact of Spotify’s Discovery Mode

Spotify’s Discovery Mode program, which became widely available in 2023, is affecting overall per-stream payout rates[3]. Artists who opt into the program benefit from more algorithmic exposure but accept a 30% reduction in payouts from the incremental streams[3]. This trade-off is particularly relevant for independent artists weighing the benefits of increased visibility against potential revenue loss[3].

Payout Rates Across Platforms

The specific economic dynamics differ across popular streaming services[3].

• Amazon Music: Pays the highest rate to artists at $8.80 per 1,000 streams, as their services are bundled within Prime memberships[5][6].
• Apple Music: Payouts remain strong at $6.2 per 1,000 streams due to their foothold in higher-price markets and the lack of ad-supported tiers[3][6].
• YouTube: Offered the highest year-over-year increase, up to $4.8 per 1,000 streams in 2024, driven by increases in subscription programs versus ad revenues[3][6].
• Spotify: Continues to have amongst the lowest payout rates ($3.0 per 1,000 streams) due to their reliance on ad-supported plans, their Discovery Mode program, larger market share, and geographical mix[3][6].

Industry-Wide Trends

Despite fluctuations in payout rates among different platforms, industry-wide earnings per stream for independent artists are starting to stabilize[3]. In 2024, artists and other master owners received $3.41 per 1,000 streams – only a slight decline (of less than 2%) versus the prior year[3][6]. Since 2021, per-stream rates declined by an average of 7% annually[3][6].

Spotify’s Response

Spotify has criticized the Duetti report, calling its claims “ridiculous and unfounded”[4]. Spotify argues that paying per stream would incentivize streaming services to minimize streams, leading to low engagement, fewer artist connections, and lower overall payouts[4]. If you want to learn about how spotify is helping keep the independent industry down you can checkout these article we wrote:

Spotify’s API Shake-Up: Straining Developer Ties and Hurting Indie Artists

Conclusion

The Duetti report provides valuable insights into the current state of music streaming economics[3]. For independent artists, understanding these trends can help inform decisions about distribution strategies, genre focus, and platform prioritization[3]. As the landscape continues to evolve, staying informed about these changes will be crucial for maximizing revenue and building sustainable careers in the music industry[3].

Remember, while this data provides general trends, individual results may vary. Artists should consider their unique situations when making decisions about their music careers.

For more detailed information and to explore the full report, visit https://report.duetti.co/.

In this link you can checkout some very comprehensive charts by Gareth Soloway
https://verifiedinvesting.com/blogs/verified-statistics/how-much-are-artists-earning-best-worst-paying-streaming-services

Citations:
[1] https://cresthub.com/how-the-duetti-2024-report-may-shape-the-nigerian-music-industry-in-2025/
[2] https://musically.com/2025/01/24/duetti-report-explores-per-stream-rates-and-the-tiktok-effect/
[3] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duettis-2024-music-economics-report-finds-industry-wide-per-stream-rates-for-independent-artists-are-finally-stabilizing-following-years-of-decline-302358273.html
[4] https://musically.com/2025/01/24/spotify-slams-ridiculous-and-unfounded-duetti-report/
[5] https://exclaim.ca/music/article/indie-artists-made-3-41-per-1-000-streams-in-2024-report-finds
[6] https://appleworld.today/2025/01/duetti-report-says-that-apple-music-payouts-for-artists-remain-strong/
[7] https://report.duetti.co
[8] https://www.billboard.com/pro/indie-artists-made-per-1000-streams-2024-duetti-report/