The realest commentary on streaming

[Iron Keys]

 

[Iron Keys]

 

[Fade]

Yeah Scarface is absolutely right 100%. I've been saying this for a while now, how the convenience is all around us for everything but it comes at a cost. When he said that buying vinyl/cassette/CD was buying a body of work, he was spot on. Today it's too easy to skip through a bunch of songs quickly and not really get into what the artist has created.

I never understood the whole idea of streaming platforms because the artists get a fraction of a penny, which is insane. Even years ago, artists didn't get a lot from their records (the label did) but they still got a decent amount, but made the most from touring. But not everyone can be a huge billion-stream star like Drake or Beyonce, so most artists will make peanuts with streaming.

I remember when Bandcamp came out, that made total sense because it's a direct way to support the artist. You could buy their album for $10, knowing it's going to them. But I get it - the average person has probably never even heard of Bandcamp but they have Spotify on their phones and just use that. It's a real shame how it's all turned out.

So the bottom line is only use platforms like Spotify, Deezer, and even YouTube as a way to promote your stuff, but then always send your fans to where they can support you directly and buy your product.

 

[Iron Keys]

I never understood the whole idea of streaming platforms because the artists get a fraction of a penny, which is insane

Well, really it should have gone the same way as Radio; when radio first was a thing, people did not care for it much because there wasn't much penny in it... then it became the most profitable for royalties.

Streaming should literally be the same, or moreso, with all the adverts and subscriptions, it should be paying as good as or better than radio.

I actually have a 'business idea' pertaining to it, but I'm keeping schtum on it for now --- though I'm sure many people would already have thought of it.

Either way, a further problem with the streaming aspect, is this kind of 'one world' we live in now due to social media and the internet. You can get all these clowns, youtube idiots shit like stream farms and bot plays all that shit. One issue you have the YouTube tutorial type beat clown smooth brain kids just making the same beat and spamming uploads via distrokid, that shit need to be stopped. There needs quality control again. There needs to be more exclusivity made. And also, artists may need to start witholding or removing their shit from streaming platforms.

The big problem is, how many fans are there these days? That shit probably dwindling, other than the Taylor Swift fans or fans from the prior era. Nowdays these kids dont give a shit about quality of music, or if music is good, they just care that 'oh yeh its a trap beat' 'oh yeah its the next trap beat' etc. Doesn't matter how good shit is, they think it's all good, that's why music is so transient to them and on to the next one. They don't know what a good music is. So they would happily stream actual garbage if Kendrick, Drake, whoeevr whoeevr Ludacris, Wutang, <insert artists, bands etc> they'd just listen to whatever bullshit is there.

There actually should be legislation regarding streaming fees really.

This is why when people talking about selling beats i dont give a shit, who you gonna find pay you proper fee for a beat? $5000k? mfers selling beats for $5 or whatnot. What's the point? You're pretty much losing money by doing that. That's all fun and games when you're a 12 year old youtube copycat dickhead. Try that when you no longer living in your thomas the tank engine bedsheets.

This whole 'beat leasing' is a nonsense too how tf do you lease a beat. Jesus

 

[Fade]

@Iron Keys Well said.

For the beatmaking aspect, that whole $5 leased beats bullshit made no sense at all. I know there's tons of guys out there that think it's the right thing to do just to get your name out there or whatever, but it's still silly and just brings down the value for everyone else in the game. I've written countless articles about this exact thing. It should always be quality over quantity. If you want to make 10 beats a day, go for it, but it should only be for practice or to just be creative. But making 10 beats a day to SELL? Hell no.

The other issue that doesn't get talked about much is the fact that there's just too many beat makers, rappers, singers, designers, influencers, famous internet people, etc. There's just too much of everyone. It's what happens when people see something as being easily profitable. I remember when selling beats online became popular, then the next thing you know, everyone's doing it. The same thing has happened with Onlyfans. All it took is a couple of skanks to post how much they made in a month, now tons of women are getting naked to make a buck.

We're never going to see the $250,000 per beat era again because any rapper today can either make a beat themselves, or pay 99 cents for something. Plus, most people today love the music being put out there even if it's hot garbage. Music fans think some guy mumbling over a saw bass tone with rolling snares is good music.

 

[Kane the MOD]

Yeah the good old times where some old dudes decided to not play any rap music on the radio because it isn't real music anyway.

I remember Stan went No. 1 and radio stations would play it without Eminem.

I fn hated it. I still do.

 

[Iron Keys]

@Iron Keys Well said.

Love

For the beatmaking aspect, that whole $5 leased beats bullshit made no sense at all. I know there's tons of guys out there that think it's the right thing to do just to get your name out there or whatever, but it's still silly and just brings down the value for everyone else in the game. I've written countless articles about this exact thing. It should always be quality over quantity. If you want to make 10 beats a day, go for it, but it should only be for practice or to just be creative. But making 10 beats a day to SELL? Hell no.

That's why I never felt inclined to waste my time with that shit. I get the idea if youhad a 'beat leased' at $5 and 100 people bought (or leased it) that's an okay penny. But, the people out there buying $5 beats ain't serious and are unlikely going to be making anything good. Not to mention how they ever plan to record/mix that. I'm like, lemme find a dope artist, let's make something dope, and hopefully if it's dope enough and the right people hear it, we'll make money. And a good fucking product. But it also comes down to this...

The other issue that doesn't get talked about much is the fact that there's just too many beat makers, rappers, singers, designers, influencers, famous internet people, etc. There's just too much of everyone. It's what happens when people see something as being easily profitable. I remember when selling beats online became popular, then the next thing you know, everyone's doing it. The same thing has happened with Onlyfans. All it took is a couple of skanks to post how much they made in a month, now tons of women are getting naked to make a buck.

This pissed me off with design too. It's just these goofy idiots who think because they downloaded photoshop and watched a youtube tutorial that they're a 'designer' and put out this nonsense, for nonsense price, and dumb idiots think its acceptable so go with it. The good thing about Design however, was the consumers are often businesses, who actually need to take their shit seriously, and need professionalism and you can point out why the design is shit. Same for people who thought they can just buy a DSLR and it makes them a photographer. I remember some dude I knew made a youtube channel then said "I'm an editor" ... wot?

And even half (actually way more than half) of the people who are doing that online/content creator shit the right way, I despise them too. All clones following the same format same nonsense. Fake celebrity, pushing out dog shit to 'please the algorithm', basic same as doing nonsense 9-5 but you're filling the world with nonense.


But hey I get it --- everyone start somewhere, even Dr Dre, Premier, etc etc, some cats probably had to do whatever save, sell drugs, rob, whatever, to get an mpc or keyboard start making music before they became great... the difference is, you really had to put that work in, and actually there was quality control, so yeah you start from nothing, but you really gotta earn something.

But yeah, these cats think theyve found some good 'business idea', theyre making music to try make money. It's dumb, soulless.

 

[Fade]

The quality control was actually the norm back in the day because if you were a rapper and weren't dope, you couldn't get in the booth. Or if your beats sucked, no one would want to fuck with your beats anyway. You had to have some sort of talent to be able to make any kind of music, but now you can make beats with your phone and become a Tiktok star lol.

 

[Iron Keys]

The quality control was actually the norm back in the day because if you were a rapper and weren't dope, you couldn't get in the booth. Or if your beats sucked, no one would want to fuck with your beats anyway. You had to have some sort of talent to be able to make any kind of music, but now you can make beats with your phone and become a Tiktok star lol.

Download FL
Download loop pack
Download sample pack
(it's vital theyre the exact same sounds, plugins that everyone else is using)
Watch YouTube tutorial
Make the same drum pattern, hat roll, 808 slide, and RC20 processed loop

'yo bro buy my beats 50 for $5 check out my beatstars on all digital platforms im a prod bro'

For bonus points, out of tune autotune phone mic recorded vocals mumbling something painstakingly lame.

 

[Kane the MOD]

I don't think that it is bad in any way that a lot more people can make music. Personally, I hate every type of gatekeeping. Also, shitty beats probably won't sell that well.

Beat leasing is a thing for small and upcoming artists and producers. Producers get also equity in the song made. So, if a song gets big the producer gets his share as well.
This is still much better than artists stealing instrumentals from YouTube.

The music industry got hurt by illegal music downloads before streaming even became a thing.

The main issue with your dwelling in the golden past is: streaming is convenient for the consumer. This is why it is THE thing. I wished more people would use BandCamp or there would be better alternatives.

The big publishers get the majority of the streaming revenue of Spotify. I hate that Spotify dictates how much all artists get paid, which is not nearly enough IMHO.
That said I still use Spotify myself.

 

[Iron Keys]

which is not nearly enough IMHO

Are you joking?

Snoop got 45,000 for A BILLION STREAMS.

1million streams = $3,400

These numbers are diabolical. They are genuinely nothing.

On BBC Radio 1 you get £14 per minute when your song gets played.

I don't think that it is bad in any way that a lot more people can make music. Personally, I hate every type of gatekeeping. Also, shitty beats probably won't sell that well.

I agree, I hate gatekeeping and think it's amazing that there's so much accessibility.
The issue is if you read mine and Fade's first messages on the matter on everyone thinking they're something--- that's fine and good once you can actually do something. But not before.

Platforms like Spotify should have been 'gate kept' if you like by quality control.

12 year old Kyle shouldn't be able to have 20 of his tRaP tYpe beAts up on Spotify after a month of producing --- keep that shit to like SoundCloud or even sell it himself if he really wanted. But it shouldn't even be in the mix with proper stuff

And the thing is, they don't actually know if music is shitnor not. Honestly any hat roll ans 808 they think is good even if everything is out if tune.

 

[Kane the MOD]

Are you joking?

Snoop got 45,000 for A BILLION STREAMS.

1million streams = $3,400

These numbers are diabolical. They are genuinely nothing.

On BBC Radio 1 you get £14 per minute when your song gets played.







I agree, I hate gatekeeping and think it's amazing that there's so much accessibility.
The issue is if you read mine and Fade's first messages on the matter on everyone thinking they're something--- that's fine and good once you can actually do something. But not before.

Platforms like Spotify should have been 'gate kept' if you like by quality control.

12 year old Kyle shouldn't be able to have 20 of his tRaP tYpe beAts up on Spotify after a month of producing --- keep that shit to like SoundCloud or even sell it himself if he really wanted. But it shouldn't even be in the mix with proper stuff

And the thing is, they don't actually know if music is shitnor not. Honestly any hat roll ans 808 they think is good even if everything is out if tune.

Music taste is subjective.

To your example:
No one listens by accident to Kyle's beats. He doesn't get enough streams to get paid a cent. What is the issue?

 

[Iron Keys]

Music taste is subjective.

To your example:
No one listens by accident to Kyle's beats. He doesn't get enough streams to get paid a cent. What is the issue?

There's enough people that do that be making the interest in quality music less so.