Music Streaming Economies: Licensing and UX
Music Streaming Economies: Licensing and UX Music streaming sits at the intersection of art and money. Licensing rules decide which songs can be streamed, where, and for how long. For most listeners, these rules are invisible, but they shape the catalog, price, and how quickly a track appears in a playlist. In short, licensing is the backbone of every stream. Licensing models differ across platforms. Many services pay royalties to artists and rights holders through a mix of labels, publishers, and performing rights organizations. The math is not simple: revenue is split among rights holders, platform costs, and taxes. Some platforms negotiate blanket deals with large labels, while independent artists often rely on more transparent splits. ...