How Much Artists Make Per Stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube, Pandora, More

The earnings artists receive per stream can vary significantly across platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, and Pandora. Here’s a general overview of the estimated payouts per stream for these popular streaming services:

1. Spotify

• Per Stream Payout: Around $0.003 to $0.005 per stream.
• Example: For every 1 million streams, an artist might earn approximately $3,000 to $5,000.
• Spotify’s payouts depend on factors like the listener’s location, whether they are using a free or premium account, and the artist’s agreement with their record label or distributor.

2. Apple Music

• Per Stream Payout: Around $0.006 to $0.01 per stream.
• Example: For 1 million streams, an artist could earn roughly $6,000 to $10,000.
• Apple Music tends to pay more per stream compared to Spotify, largely because they have a higher percentage of paying subscribers.

3. Amazon Music

• Per Stream Payout: Approximately $0.004 to $0.005 per stream.
• Example: For 1 million streams, an artist might earn about $4,000 to $5,000.
• Amazon Music has both Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited, with payouts varying slightly between the two.

4. YouTube

• Per Stream Payout: Around $0.00067 per view.
• Example: For 1 million views, the payout might be around $670.
• YouTube’s payout is lower because it operates mainly as an ad-supported platform. Earnings also depend on ad engagement and viewer region.

5. Pandora

• Per Stream Payout: Around $0.0013 to $0.0015 per stream (for non-interactive streams like Pandora Radio).
• Example: For 1 million streams, an artist might earn approximately $1,300 to $1,500.
• The platform pays more for interactive streams through Pandora Premium and less for non-interactive radio-style streams.

6. Tidal

• Per Stream Payout: Around $0.01 to $0.012 per stream.
• Example: For 1 million streams, an artist could earn around $10,000 to $12,000.
• Tidal aims to offer higher rates than some of its competitors and emphasizes its commitment to supporting artists.

7. Deezer

• Per Stream Payout: Around $0.004 per stream.
• Example: For 1 million streams, an artist could earn roughly $4,000.
• Deezer’s payouts depend on the user’s country and subscription type.

These payouts vary due to factors like subscription tiers, ad revenue, user location, and whether the streams come from free or paid users. The earnings artists receive are also often split with record labels, distributors, and other stakeholders. Independent artists might retain a larger share compared to those signed with major labels.