Seattle independent artist Mark Diamond was surprised when he was able to pay his rent through song streams on Spotify. By persistence in reaching out to individual playlisters on the platform, he eventually gained a million streams per month. He later got picked up by a subsidiary label of Universal Music, only to realize he was making less money with the support of a label. He tells this story in his latest (independently released) single, “The Ride.” 

Diamond discusses his life before streaming success, coming up in the scene while self-promoting and holding a day job, his emphasis on connecting directly with fans, and his illuminating journey through the music industry during his time in LA.

Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/sound/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.