Spotify—Spotify introduced 1,000-stream minimum threshold cutting royalties for small and independent artists
In early 2024, Spotify implemented a new policy requiring tracks to reach at least 1,000 streams per year before generating any royalty payments. The company framed this as an anti-fraud measure, but independent musicians and advocacy groups criticized it as de-monetizing tens of thousands of small artists while redirecting their royalty share to major labels and top-performing acts. The policy particularly impacts niche genres, emerging artists, and musicians in developing countries.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intellectual Property Ethics | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.858 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.57)
Evidence (1 signal)
Guardian report on Spotify's 1,000-stream minimum royalty threshold affecting independent artists
The Guardian reported on Spotify's new policy requiring 1,000 annual streams before artists receive any royalty payments, with criticism from independent musicians and advocacy groups arguing it de-monetizes small artists while redirecting funds to major labels.