How our estimates and stories work.

Our figures are models of gross streaming royalties to rightsholders. They are not royalty statements, verified payments, or artist take-home pay.

Spotify estimates

The starting point is a stored stream observation associated with the selected recording. We multiply its stream count by the rate stored with that estimate. For example, a $0.003-per-stream model gives $3,000 for one million streams. The rate is a modeling assumption, not a Spotify tariff or a guaranteed payment for any stream.

Open “Inputs and assumptions” on a song to see the available source, observation date, formula version, and measured period. Input counts and rates are shown where available for public display. Some forecasts are rounded to the nearest $1,000. “All time” means the cumulative count covered by that observation, not all revenue earned since the song was written.

A trailing-12-month figure needs observations covering that period. Missing or unsuitable history leaves the figure pending; it does not mean zero royalties. Observations can lag behind today, and refreshed evidence may change an estimate.

The all-platform streaming model

The unlocked model assumes Spotify represents 35%–55% of a recording’s worldwide streaming royalties, with 45% as the midpoint. For a Spotify estimate S, the low scenario is S ÷ 0.55, the midpoint is S ÷ 0.45, and the high scenario is S ÷ 0.35. Results are rounded to the nearest $1,000.

The midpoint illustration assigns 45% to Spotify, 45% to other audio streaming, and 10% to video streaming. These are fixed scenario assumptions, not measured platform revenues for the song. The range is not a statistical confidence interval. A recording’s actual platform mix may fall outside it, and rounding can make the displayed parts differ slightly from the total.

The song valuation model

The valuation view starts with the available trailing-period Spotify estimate and retains the 45% Spotify midpoint above. It illustrates the remaining mix as Apple Music 25%, Amazon Music 10%, other audio platforms 10%, and video streaming 10%. Those non-Spotify figures are inferred assumptions, not platform statements. If only a shorter measured window exists, the page labels the result as an annualized proxy; missing history is never treated as zero.

The current reviewable tier boundary is $100,000 of modeled annual all-platform streaming earnings: lower figures are Mid; figures at or above the boundary are Large or Bigger. Mid multiples by catalog year are 1×, 2×, 3×, 5×, 6×, 7×, 8×, 9×, 10×, and 11× for year 10+. Large or Bigger multiples are 1×, 2×, 3×, 6×, 7×, 8×, 9×, 10×, 12×, and 13× for year 10+.

The result is an illustrative catalog model, not an appraisal, offer, verified royalty statement, or promise of a sale price. Artist pages rank up to five tracked songs by recent Spotify earnings and show coverage; their combined result is not a complete catalog appraisal.

Who receives the royalties

The illustrated 80% sound-recording / 20% composition split is a model assumption, not a verified allocation for this recording. Documented credits identify credited participants; they do not establish ownership percentages, contractual entitlements, or amounts paid.

Figures are gross to rightsholders before individual contracts, fees, recoupment, and taxes. They exclude touring, merchandise, radio, downloads, and sync licensing. An artist’s take-home pay cannot be inferred from these figures.

Recording identity and coverage

Originals, covers, remasters, live recordings, edits, and reissues can share a title. Provider records may group versions or report overlapping counts, and an album or reissue date may differ from the original release date. We do not claim that the catalog is a fully deduplicated accounting ledger. Do not add estimates across versions to infer an artist’s total earnings.

Check the credited artist, selected version, listening link, and available sources together. A mismatched recording or date needs correction before relying on its estimate. Use the correction link below to report it.

Stories: write, then review independently

AI drafts original context from a source packet. A separate AI review compares each claim with that evidence. Identity, link, provenance and media checks must also pass. Uncertain or unsupported drafts are withheld automatically.

Keep sources and corrections visible

Profiles link to their factual sources and show review status. A pending preview is not labeled AI-reviewed. Accepted revisions are retained so a correction can be traced or rolled back.

Editorial selections

Our listening choices offer ways into an artist’s music. They do not represent a measured popularity chart or a complete discography.

Suggest a correction or read our editorial policy.