Study Reveals Most Musicians Earn Minimal Income From Streaming Despite Heavy Reliance Oxford, UK — April 12, 2026
A new study by the Oxford Internet Institute and the University of Groningen has found that the majority of musicians worldwide cannot sustain their livelihoods through streaming revenue alone, despite relying on platforms for career visibility.
The research, which surveyed 1,198 musicians across Brazil, Chile, the Netherlands, Nigeria, and South Korea, highlights a stark disparity between artists’ dependence on streaming and their actual earnings. While 81% of respondents considered streaming "important" or "very important" for their careers, 77% reported earning less than €10,000 annually from music-related income.
Financial Struggles of Full-Time Musicians
Only 42% of surveyed musicians currently work in music full-time, though 53% expressed hopes of doing so in the future. The financial reality, however, remains grim: 29% earned under €1,000 from music in the past year, and 26% reported no income at all from their craft.
The study also uncovered significant opacity around streaming revenue. Over half (56%) of respondents either could not or chose not to disclose what portion of their income came from streaming. Among those who did, the figures were stark: 25% earned just 0–5% of their income from streaming, while only 8% derived more than 75% of their earnings from platforms like Spotify.
Robert Prey, a professor at the Oxford Internet Institute, summarized the findings: "Nur sehr wenige Künstler können allein vom Streaming leben" ("Only very few artists can live solely from streaming").
The Streaming Paradox and Artist Frustrations
The research identifies a "streaming paradox," where musicians depend on platforms for exposure but receive negligible compensation. German artist LGoony exemplified this struggle, stating he is unsure how long he can continue releasing music due to meager payouts. He noted that Spotify pays roughly €0.003 per stream, meaning an artist would need over 15 hours of continuous playtime to earn just €1.
Despite these challenges, streaming remains a cornerstone of modern music careers. The study’s authors emphasize that the issue is global, affecting artists from diverse economies like Nigeria, Brazil, and the Netherlands equally.
Calls for Industry Reform
In response to the findings, German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer announced plans to convene a roundtable with record labels and streaming services to negotiate fairer compensation models. The move signals growing political recognition of the crisis, though concrete solutions remain elusive.
The study’s data underscores an urgent need for systemic change, as artists increasingly find themselves caught between the necessity of streaming exposure and its unsustainable economics. With most musicians earning below poverty-level incomes from their work, the viability of professional music careers hangs in the balance.