Looks like the Living Wage for Musicians Act is gaining traction, especially in Detroit.
The music industry’s compensation structure has come under scrutiny as independent artists struggle to make a living from streaming. Zach Aubrey, known in Detroit’s music scene as Lavell MG, returned to music in 2022 after a hiatus. At 25, he’s released several singles and is crafting his first album, but his earnings tell a different story. Despite using Spotify to promote his music, he has only eight monthly listeners and has earned just a few cents from streaming. “It’s hard,” Aubrey lamented about the current pay structure.
Musicians on platforms like Spotify receive a mere $0.003 per stream, which means they’d need over 800,000 monthly streams just to earn a full-time wage at $15 an hour. This has prompted U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib and former U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman to introduce the Living Wage for Musicians Act, which aims to create a streaming royalty fund to ensure fair compensation for artists. This bill, co-sponsored by several other Democratic representatives, was reintroduced in September but has faced delays in Congress.
Despite the stall, support for the bill is growing at the local level. The Detroit City Council passed a resolution backing the act, while New York City has done the same. Tlaib expressed gratitude for the support, emphasizing the advocacy from independent artists in Detroit that helped bring attention to the need for change.
Aubrey, who juggles his music career with a day job at Pepsi, supports the bill and is involved with The Creative Union, an organization advocating for Detroit creatives. He believes that fair compensation could enhance motivation and investment in the arts. “We all put so much into this… if Congress passes a law like this, it helps us all out,” he said.
Streaming accounts for a significant revenue stream in the music industry, with the RIAA reporting that it constituted 84% of music revenues. However, artists remain underpaid, and Tlaib’s legislation seeks to address this. The bill proposes a minimum of one penny per stream through a nonprofit-administered fund, directly compensating both featured and non-featured artists. This approach builds on existing royalty systems, like SoundExchange, which distributes payments for digital radio plays.
The push for the Living Wage Act stemmed from artists’ advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting their struggles and the lack of financial support. Michael Abbey, a musician involved in drafting the bill, noted that the detailed process involved consultations with industry stakeholders to create a viable plan.
Supporters like Nicholas James Thomasma, executive director of the Michigan Music Alliance, believe that the proposed legislation could revolutionize the way artists earn from streaming. Thomasma reflected on the drastic changes in income streams over the years, noting the challenges faced by musicians today.
Members of The Creative Union like Marcus Miller emphasized that fair compensation would ease financial burdens for artists, enabling them to support themselves and their families. The community is rallying to raise awareness and gather signatures in support of the bill, with nearly 18,000 signatures collected so far, aiming for a target of 25,600.
Hamtramck rapper Brenton Freeman, who has developed multiple income streams to sustain his career, also voiced support for the Living Wage Act. With 18,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, he acknowledged that streaming alone isn’t enough for survival. “If we’re only getting paid a 10th of a penny, it’s financially impossible to do so,” he said. Freeman plans to host events to increase awareness about the act and mobilize support.
The ongoing discussions about artist compensation highlight a critical issue within the music industry, where independent musicians are advocating for fair treatment and sustainable income from their work.