Spotify Releases Royalty Figures

The often-criticized, more often utilized web streaming service Spotify is finally releasing it's royalty figures in an artist-facing website that intends to lay out exactly what performers can expect in terms of income from the service.

"With any format change in music - CD and iTunes included - there's a lot of confusion around how these different models work, and quite often some serious scepticism," Director of artist services at Spotify Mark Williamson told the Guardian. "We understand that's out there, so we want to be as clear and transparent as we possibly can explaining how Spotify fits in."

Spotify is utilizing the new site to explain how artist revenues will grow along with the service. Spotify is planning a global launch in the near future and expects their user base to baloon to right around 40 million people.

"That small indie band whose album made $3k a month in July will now be looking at $17k a month from Spotify alone, and the global pop superstar will be looking at over $2m," Williamson said of the pre- and post-launch figures.

According to NME, the average artist receives between $0.006 and $0.0084 for a single stream and Spotify pays out 70% of its revenues to artists and their representatives.