Guides

Straight answers on streaming payouts, streaming benchmarks, release timelines and more, built from the same data the tools run on.

• How much do streaming platforms pay per stream?

  Reported per-stream payout ranges for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer and Pandora, plus what each distributor keeps.

• How many streams is good for an independent artist?

  Streaming benchmarks by tier, adjusted for genre. See where your numbers land against artists releasing the same kind of music.

• What is the timeline for releasing a song?

  The tasks that apply to every release, from four weeks out to the weeks after, plus what a readiness check weighs and how heavily.

• How should you split a music release budget?

  Starting splits across production, mixing, marketing, visuals and artwork, and how those shift with budget size and whether you hire a team.