Robin Lamb | Published 19 December 2022 | Updated 2 February 2023
As a musician, streaming your music on Spotify can be a great way to reach new listeners and earn money. By understanding how Spotify pays artists, you can get started turning your musical talents into income.
Become a Verified Artist.
Becoming a "Verified Artist" on Spotify requires you to prove that you are actually the artist of the music you’re uploading. To do this, all you need to do is fill out the form with your contact info and upload a photo. After your profile is verified, you will be able to customise your profile page and track how many listeners are streaming your songs on Spotify.
Look into Spotify for Artists Opportunities.
Any verified artist can take advantage of a range of opportunities that Spotify offers. From promotional tools like Live Events and Playlists, to the Artist Insights Dashboard which provides analytics insights and tools that show you how fans are interacting with your music - there are so many options available. Look into, test out, and see what type of opportunities make sense for you and your goals, then start taking the steps towards monetising on Spotify today!
Leverage Fan Insights to Promote Yourself & Earn Money.
The Artist Insights Dashboard is a great way to gain insights about how fans are connecting with your music and promotional offers for streaming. Through this tool, you can learn more about the origins and frequency of their plays, the songs that have been most popular around the globe, which listeners have shared and added to playlists - all valuable data that could help inform and improve your next creative moves. With this data available, you can strategically optimise promotion strategies - whether it’s utilising organic and paid promotion campaigns, or expanding your presence through artist-specific merchandise offerings.
Take Part in Spotify Music Events & Contests.
Participation in Spotify-sponsored events and contests can provide an additional way for artists to monetise streaming plays. These activities are available to select artists who have been identified as priority partners placed under a special incubator program. Artists may receive ticket proceeds, product placement opportunities, or be selected as the opening act for larger touring acts – all of which has the potential to bring significant revenues when streams are recorded. Investing entry fees in order to secure your spot in high-caliber industry events is another idea; while you may not make a profit from ticket sales after the entry fee, the value of making relationships with big names within the music industry could pay dividends in the long run.
Establish Partnerships with Record Labels & Third-Party Services to Monetise Your Music Streams.
Partnering with record labels and third-party services allows you to increase the number of streams of your music, and consequently the amount of money you can make from streaming. This type of agreement has become increasingly popular in the streaming industry with many artists taking advantage of programs that offer an upfront advance, promotional support, and other incentives in return for a predetermined share of sales. It's also important to research opportunities in order to find the right fit for your goals; partnerships should be mutually beneficial as that ensures both parties will benefit from working together. Whenever possible, review deals carefully before signing on to ensure you are getting a fair payout structure.