Independent musicians and streaming platforms have a complicated relationship. Derek Lee Goodreid, who originally published this on his own website, explains why he is betting on people.
Originally posted on my website.
A few years back I was really excited about the opportunities the internet offered independent musicians.
It was possible to make an album in your bedroom, put it up on the internet, discover your audience and establish a career all without asking for permission from a record label. That had a punk-rock feel to it.
Yet recently it seems as though we’ve gone the wrong way. Though Aria (Australian Recording Industry Association) is making a step in the right direction though only after the fact.
The topic is no longer songs; it’s now focused on algorithms, growth hacks, prompt generation, and content volume. Music is being treated more and more like a commodity rather than a craft.
That is why I am becoming more and more convinced the future for independent artists isn’t Spotify, AI-generated playlists, or machine-produced music.
It’s people.
The Spotify Problem
Fairly speaking, Spotify changed the music industry when it arrived, the supposed Napster killer ((if you don’t know what Napster is ask Lars Ulrich) if you don’t know who Lars Ulrich is then I can’t help you), giving listeners a legitimate alternative to piracy and letting independent artists distribute their music.
Yet the economic situation has long been at odds with many musicians.
In recent years, Spotify has paid out billions of dollars to rights holders and maintains that it does not have a direct say in how much artists are paid, since payments go through labels, publishers, and distributors first. Yet many artists and songwriter organisations still claim streaming income is not sustainable, especially for independent musicians without large catalogues or label support. For more on this, see the reports from TechCrunch and CBS News.
The issue isn’t Spotify paying almost nothing; it’s that music is now seen as less valuable.
Since people can get virtually every album that has ever been recorded for the price of a cup of coffee, individual songs begin to seem like they have no value. Instead of being something people actively get involved with, music then becomes background noise.
It is common for artists to be urged to put out more content more often in order to meet the requirements of the algorithm, the result of which is that the song takes a back seat to the platform.
The reason most of us began making music wasn’t for that.
Enter Suno and AI Music
If streaming turned music into an endless buffet, AI music threatens to turn it into fast food.
Platforms like Suno can generate complete songs from text prompts in seconds. The technology itself is impressive. There’s no denying that.
What concerns me is the message underneath it.
Writing songs isn’t merely putting words and notes in order; it’s rooted in real-life experiences like heartbreak, faith, failure, recovery, and joy. The things that make us human. I mean songwriting is like breathing to me but it feels like hands around my throat when I see people prompting AI generated songs and calling themselves musicians. It’s like people ordering food and then calling themselves chefs when the meal is delivered.
A machine can imitate style.
It can’t live a life.
The debate isn’t only philosophical, either. Major record labels have filed legal actions against Suno and similar AI music companies, alleging they used copyrighted recordings to train their systems without permission. Those cases have become some of the most significant copyright disputes in the music industry. You can read more from Music Business Worldwide and TechTimes.
Whether the courts ultimately side with AI companies or rights holders, the core issue remains the same:
If music is regarded as something that is infinite and generated instantly, then we may end up forgetting the reason why it was important in the first place.
The Human Cost
Every songwriter I know has stories behind their songs.
Songs written after a breakup.
Songs written while sitting in a hospital waiting room.
Songs written while grieving.
Songs written after finding hope again.
The best music connects us because it carries part of a person’s life inside it.
When audiences know a song was crafted by someone who wrestled with those emotions, the music means something different.
AI can copy the sound.
It can’t copy the scars.
And if listeners stop caring about where music comes from, we run the risk of creating a world spilling over with slop songs that are starved of meaning.
Why Bandcamp Still Matters
This is one reason I continue to believe in platforms such as Bandcamp.
Bandcamp was built around a simple idea: connect artists and fans directly.
Fans can buy music, merchandise, physical releases, and often pay more than the asking price simply because they want to support the artist. According to Bandcamp, fans have paid artists more than US$1.7 billion through the platform, making it one of the largest direct-to-fan music marketplaces available today. See Bandcamp for Artists.
The difference isn’t just financial.
When somebody buys an album on Bandcamp, they’re making a conscious choice.
They’re saying:
“This matters to me.”
That’s a relationship.
Not a stream.
Why I’m Watching Subvert Closely
Another platform catching my attention is Subvert.
Unlike most music platforms, Subvert is structured as a cooperative owned by its members. Artists, labels, and supporters collectively participate in the platform’s governance, and artists keep 100% of their earnings because there are no platform fees. Learn more at Subvert and The FADER.
It has still to be seen whether Subvert will be successful in the long term.
But the idea behind it is powerful.
Artists shouldn’t just be content providers feeding somebody else’s machine.
They ought to have a voice.
They should have ownership.
The Way Forward
The future for independent musicians seems to be less about chasing streams and more about forming communities.
Play live.
Reply to comments.
Send newsletters.
Sell directly.
Share the story behind the songs.
Form real relationships with those who care.
The people who buy your records, attend your concerts, wear your shirts, pass on your music to their friends, and back your work during both good times and bad are worth more than a million passive streams.
Spotify may continue to dominate streaming.
AI-generated music will certainly keep evolving.
But nothing can replace the experience of standing in a room while a real person sings a song born from real-life experience.
That’s what music is.
Or at least, that’s what I still believe it should be.
Support the Artists Keeping Real Music Alive
If you’re fed up with algorithms determining what you should listen to, then one of the best things you can do is to give direct support to artists.
Lately I’ve been spinning two albums on Bandcamp that remind me why I fell in love with rockabilly, punk, and underground music in the first place.
The Roughhousers – Life’s A Drag
It’s raw, full of energy, and has that kind of attitude that gets you up on the dance floor; if you prefer your rockabilly with plenty of grit, it’s definitely worth listening to.
Check out Life’s A Drag on Bandcamp
Feral House Cats – Go Feral Yourself
Wild, unapologetic, and bursting with personality. This is the sort of record that reminds you music is supposed to be fun, a little dangerous, and made by real people with something to say.
Check out Go Feral Yourself on Bandcamp
Every album purchased on Bandcamp sends a message that art still has value. Not streams. Not prompts. Not engagement metrics.
Real artists. Real songs. Real stories.
And if you’re a musician wondering how to survive in a world increasingly dominated by algorithms and AI-generated content, my advice is simple: build relationships, play live, talk to your audience, and support other artists doing the same. The future of independent music won’t be built by platforms. It’ll be built by communities.
Independent musicians and streaming: the takeaway
Independent musicians and streaming can coexist, but communities, not platforms, build careers. If you want to reach your audience directly, our podcast production service is one way to start.
