Music Streaming: From Licenses to Personal Playlists
Music Streaming: From Licenses to Personal Playlists Music streaming works because a web of licenses lets services play songs for many people. When you press play, a streaming platform checks contracts with record labels, music publishers, and rights societies. Those agreements cover the right to stream the tracks, how much the service pays, and where the music can be heard. In return, artists, composers, and rights holders receive royalties. This system shapes what you hear and why. Catalogs differ by country, and some tracks are unavailable offline due to regional deals. The model also means you don’t own the music you listen to; you own access. Subscriptions or ads fund licenses, and in turn fund the people who created the songs. ...