Rap icon Snoop Dogg is among a rising number of major artists criticizing the streaming revenue model dominated by platforms like Spotify. The controversy started in December 2023 when Snoop voiced his frustration over the small payouts artists receive despite massive streaming numbers.
At a press event, he expressed disbelief at how little money he earned despite surpassing a billion streams:
“Can someone explain to me how you can get a billion streams and not get a million dollars?”
According to Snoop, his Spotify earnings for reaching that milestone amounted to just $45,000—an amount he found shockingly low given the revenue potential of such high streaming figures.
By early 2025, Snoop decided to take action. He announced his departure from Spotify in favor of Tune.FM, a Web3 streaming platform that promises fairer and more transparent artist payments. In an interview with Billboard, he declared:
“I don’t f* with Spotify anymore. I’m only on Tune.FM.”*
Spotify Responds: “Millions Go to Rights Holders”
After Snoop’s comments went viral, Spotify pushed back, calling his claim misleading. In a statement to TMZ, a company spokesperson responded:
“A billion streams on Spotify generates millions of dollars for rights holders. It’s unfortunate that Snoop didn’t receive his fair share.”
Spotify also subtly pointed out that now that Snoop owns Death Row Records, he may be in a better position to receive more of the streaming revenue:
“Snoop’s a legend, and hopefully, now that he owns Death Row Records, he’s seeing more of that money.”
The key term here is “rights holders,” which typically refers to record labels, publishers, and distributors—not necessarily the artists themselves. Even superstars like Snoop may only receive a small fraction of the total earnings, depending on their contract terms.
How Much Does Spotify Actually Pay?
Spotify’s per-stream payout typically falls between $0.003 and $0.005, meaning a billion streams generate roughly $3 million to $5 million in total revenue for all rights holders.
However, how much an artist receives depends on their record deal and royalty structure:
- Signed artists often receive only 15-20% of their label’s earnings, meaning their share from a billion streams might range between $600,000 and $1 million—before deductions.
- Labels typically keep 80% or more of streaming revenue before paying artists.
- If multiple collaborators (producers, songwriters) are involved, the earnings are split further.
Given these calculations, Snoop’s claim of receiving only $45,000 seems unusually low. One possibility is that he was referring only to publishing royalties, which are significantly smaller than earnings from master recordings. Songwriters have long criticized streaming payouts, so Snoop may have been highlighting that specific issue.
Tune.FM: A Fairer Alternative?
Disillusioned with the current system, Snoop has aligned himself with Tune.FM, a blockchain-based streaming platform that aims to pay artists more fairly by cutting out middlemen like major labels.
How does Tune.FM compare to Spotify?
- Artists receive 90% of streaming revenue, compared to the 15-20% they might get under a traditional label deal.
- Payments are instant and transparent via blockchain, rather than processed monthly.
- The platform provides additional revenue through NFT sales and fan-driven incentives.
Tune.FM claims to pay $0.01 per minute streamed, meaning a 4-minute song would generate $0.04 per play—10 times more than Spotify’s average rate. However, its audience is much smaller than Spotify’s 600+ million users, limiting its reach for now.
The Bigger Picture: Artists vs. Streaming Platforms
Snoop’s clash with Spotify underscores a broader issue—many artists feel shortchanged by the current streaming revenue model. The core problem isn’t necessarily Spotify’s per-stream rate, but rather the music industry’s royalty structure, which favors labels over artists.
Snoop isn’t the first to challenge the system:
- Taylor Swift removed her music from Spotify in 2014 over similar concerns.
- Pharrell Williams made only $2,700 from 43 million streams of Happy on Pandora.
- Kevin Kadish, co-writer of All About That Bass, earned just $5,679 from 178 million streams.
These cases highlight how traditional record deals often leave artists with a small fraction of streaming revenue, especially if they don’t own their masters.
Who’s Right: Snoop or Spotify?
Spotify is correct in stating that a billion streams generate millions in revenue, but Snoop’s frustration is still valid. If he truly received only $45,000, it’s likely due to old record deals or royalty splits rather than Spotify withholding payments.
Nevertheless, Snoop’s shift to Tune.FM reflects growing interest in alternative platforms that give artists more control. Whether blockchain-based services can compete with streaming giants like Spotify remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—the debate over fair streaming payouts isn’t going away anytime soon.
