KydiaMusic

KydiaMusic, 3 days ago

@etherdiver

Brilliant idea of doing a review of mutuals! I wish I had thought of that. Alas, I have already voted, but I'm going to go read your write-ups, because you are a talented writer and it's always good to see how others approach and process the same music.

KydiaMusic, 3 days ago

@etherdiver @bittersweetdb

No doubt, they the real MVPs! I was initially going to write a small blurb about each entry in a separate toot, managed to do ONE, and then ran out of spoons. :welp:

GIF of a white and grey tabby cat slinking down wooden stairs head first almost like a snake. SO TIRED.

KydiaMusic, 4 days ago

@gamingonlinux

Geologists are still debating whether or not soft rock is safe for consumption.

KydiaMusic, 4 days ago

@dgar @DuchessOfSnork

lol I was singing it to myself this morning!

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

@Lizette603_23

I didn’t think there were any ads on mastodon. How are you seeing ads? Can you do a screenshot?

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

@theheck @tess

WAT.

GIF of that one white guy blinking and looking surprised as if to say “wait…what?” but he says it all with just his EYES because he’s a very expressive person.

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

The real takeaway as far as I'm concerned is that we shouldn't split hairs too much over which of the other streaming service pays the most per stream.

They are all (currently) better than Spotify for the following reasons:

1. Spotify changed their payout system in April to only pay artists on their streams once they have a track streamed at least 1,000 times in a calendar year.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/spotify-royalty-model-1000-plays

2/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

2. Spotify has a contract with podcaster Joe Rogan, giving him millions to spew his bullshit

https://apnews.com/article/joe-rogan-spotify-deal-76fa0e2c9d4b137f510428528ea6226b

3/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

3. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invests in AI technology for the military industrial complex and Spotify hosts several podcasts that also support it

https://inthesetimes.com/article/spotify-military-industrial-complex-daniel-ek-prima-materia-helsing

4/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

The reason so many musicians are still on Spotify is because about 30% of all streams come from Spotify, with all the other streaming services trailing far behind. Spotify is still the number one place a lot of artists get discovered, and see the largest amount of revenue just from sheer volume, rather than per stream.

https://explodingtopics.com/blog/music-streaming-stats

The reason most listeners are on Spotify is b/c they have first in market brand recognition as a standalone streaming service.

5/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

They also have the best interface, loads of curated playlists, and algorithms that actually serve up music a listener is likely to appreciate. Since they added podcasts and books, it makes it even more of a one-stop app/service for most customers' audio-focused entertainment.
And with features like sharing playlists and Spotify Wrapped, they really reinforce the social and community nature of music, and staying with their service in particular.

¯_(ツ)_/¯

6/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

I'm not trying to make excuses for them, just trying to explain why Spotify has such a stranglehold on the streaming market.

Even for artists, despite the low amount we receive per stream, Spotify makes it easy to interact with fans and customize profiles and even each song with storylines (if you're on a label) and visuals like 10-second videos (canvases) that help engage and retain listeners. Compared to other platforms, it really excels in helping artists communicate what they're about.

7/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

Most Millennials and GenZ use streaming to discover and share new music. If you primarily buy CDs, vinyl, or digital downloads, that's great! More power to you.
But very few of the younger generations are listening to the radio (which is still hard for indies to get on--even independent and college stations), they go to their streaming service of choice to find new music. And a lot of people are discovering music on Tik Tok or Instagram. The majority of younger people, in fact.

8/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

And if someone has ever recommended a song to you and you went to YouTube to check it out, that is also streaming. And yes, YouTube has its own streaming service and can also generate revenue from and for artists--without the artist having to maintain a dedicated channel or become a YouTuber--although that is also another way indie artists often try to get people to listen to their music.

9/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

I listen to a lot of music, and I buy a lot of music, although I mostly buy on Bandcamp currently. Most of the major label artists will not be found on Bandcamp, however, so as a streaming service the general population is not interested, b/c they want to listen to Taylor Swift and Drake and not exclusively indie music.

10/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

Most of the streaming services that can stay solvent AND pay artists a fair amount (debatable what that is) are ones that are attached to a larger company like Amazon and Apple that don't have to rely on music as a stand alone business model.

The truth is, music is just not valued enough (has it EVER been?) for most people to be willing to pay much for it. Unless you're the kind of artist that inspires a kind of cult of personality, in which case fans will buy everything you throw at them.

11/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

And suggesting indie artists must play live to build a following is just not going to work for every type of artist.

-playing live does not work easily for solo musicians in certain genres, without recruiting/hiring other musicians

-some artists live in remote areas with no good local live options

-venues want artists to already HAVE an audience they bring with them. It's the ol' "you need 5 years of experience for this entry level job" conundrum

-it's ableist. Especially w/Covid still here

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

Suggesting new/indie artists provide physical product (CDs, vinyl, merch) rather than just digital output is also frustrating. First, the cost of manufacturing is front-loaded onto the artist, with no guarantee that those items will all sale, especially when you don't have enough fans to justify the expense. And that's on top of the expense (education, instruments, equipment, studio time) recording the music.

I have boxes of CDs from my old band that no one wants taking up storage space.

13/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

Nowadays, it seems like the only way to build a following is to have your music available on line, get some sort of success on Tik Tok or Instagram (going viral) and also finding a supportive community where musicians are valued. Like the Fediverse!

I am so grateful for all of y'all that have retooted my music, or bought my tracks on Bandcamp, or even just let me know you were streaming my music and liked it.

It really does help in the face of so many hurdles and indifference elsewhere. 🥰

14/

KydiaMusic, 5 days ago

And speaking of a supportive community for musicians, have you checked out the Fediverse's own song contest, Fedivision?!

https://fedivision.party/

There are 72 opportunities for you to discover new music and find your new favorite artist! And this year, you can vote for 3 songs instead of just one.

You have until Sunday to listen to the tracks and vote. Text the 4-digit code representing each entrant you want to vote for to @vote

15/15

#Fedivision #Fedivision2024