How streaming affects musicians, and what they can do about it

How streaming affects musicians, and what they can do about it

From The Human Interface: An OII Podcast by Oxford University

January 22, 2026 · 31 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges musicians face in the streaming era and the impact of streaming platforms on their earnings.

S2E1: It's never been easier for musicians to release music, but the economics of the music industry and online streaming mean earning a living has become ever more challenging. We explore how streaming platforms impact musicians. Researchers Dr Robert Prey (OII) and Dr Seonok Lee (University of Groningen) break down how the 'pro rata' model of streaming platforms dilutes payments to musicians, and draw on findings from a survey of 1,200 musicians across five countries to reveal cultural and economic differences in what it means to be a musician today.

People in this episode

Guests: Dr Robert Prey, Dr Seonok Lee

Topics covered

  • music industry
  • streaming platforms
  • musician economics
  • pro rata model
  • cultural differences
  • economic differences

Keywords

  • streaming
  • musicians
  • music industry
  • pro rata model
  • economics
  • survey
  • cultural differences

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: OII, University of Groningen

Places: five countries

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