Wouldn’t it be great if Spotify (and streaming sites more generally) paid more per stream? Wouldn’t it be awesome to earn $0.01 every time your music was played, instead of the current $0.003?

In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David expands on a blog post he originally wrote in August 2020, explaining why a cent per stream won’t save the music business. While he agrees with the movement in general, he also illuminates the many threats that would make a cent per stream a drop in the bucket.

In This Episode:

Why a cent per stream isn’t going to save the music business

What “decimal money” is

How the economics actually work out when you’re paid a cent per stream

Why increasing income from streaming would be like a drop in the bucket

Why there will always be societal issues looming over artists

Key Resources:

The Renegade Musician: Step out of the shadow of the old music career model

Why I Don’t Think 1 Cent Per Stream on Spotify is Going to Save the Music Business: the blog post referred to in this episode

A Cent Per Stream on Spotify

In this video, David alludes to a blog post he published in August 2020 titled “Why I Don’t Think 1 Cent Per Stream on Spotify is Going to Save the Music Business.” Here are the key takeaways from this resource:

Oftentimes, it’s just as easy (or hard) to get people to pay $300 for a product as it is to get them to pay $0.0003. So, why put all your time, energy, and resources into Spotify? There are so many other ways to earn a higher income on the effort spent – advertising, donations, affiliate marketing, merchandise, bundles, memberships, and more.

Increased restriction and policing of the platforms. Whether YouTube or Facebook, it seems like new policies go into place every other week, restricting creators from speaking their minds, reaching their audiences, and getting clicks. Banning, shadow banning, account closures, and even active censorship frequently put creators in a position of compromise, especially when relying exclusively on big tech platforms.

The harmful effects of net neutrality and localization. This is already happening. The internet is no longer the same, across the world, for every person. Access depends on where you live, the device you’re using, who you identify as, and more. If you weren’t already feeling like a needle in a haystack, net neutrality and localization reduce your chances of being seen, heard, and discovered. And wasn’t that the core value proposition of the internet for artists, that you could reach a worldwide fan base?

The possibility of mass consolidation of the internet. What if the internet wasn’t a massive collection of websites and apps, but rather a single central hub where people were forced to go to do everything? What if a single company made all the rules? What if they controlled and regulated all your activities? This hasn’t happened yet, but it poses a greater threat to independent creativity on the internet than just about anything else.

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Until next time, stay empowered.

The “starving artist” cliché has been perpetuated through the ages. Stereotypes exist for a reason, but you can’t just yield to accepted norms if you hope to be successful. After all, successful people are abnormal. Which should tell you something, namely that questioning and abandoning the norms is part of the hero’s journey.

In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David illuminates the often forgotten value of creativity and its many benefits and applications, the key reasons artists starve, and why setting meaningful boundaries is crucial to becoming a Renegade Musician.

In This Episode:

Why creating is godlike

The devastating trend that plagues creativity in the education system

How creativity benefits the development of the child (and individual)

Why creative and innovative solutions in business are essential

The real reason artists starve

Why taking initiative is the real flex

Key Resources:

The Renegade Musician: Step out of the shadow of the old music career model

The Starving Artist Syndrome

Starving artist stereotype notwithstanding, no artist needs to succumb to a full-blown syndrome. The way forward? Question everything. Disconnect from unhelpful individuals and advice. Don’t let others steal your dream. Don’t listen to those who say you can’t do it. Your purpose is uniquely yours, and only you can bring it into reality.

To be a Renegade Musician means to be different. Not just different from people who don’t call themselves artists, but also from artists who are doing things exactly as other artists are doing them. “Because everyone else is doing it” is a horrible reason to get drawn into a game of “follow the leader.” You can’t let others write your story. You must write your own.

For a step-by-step guide to accomplishing this, pick up your copy of The Renegade Musician on Amazon.

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Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, take a moment to subscribe to receive updates for future episodes, along with access to powerful independent artist recommendations sent directly to your inbox. Isn’t it time you started achieving your passion goals? We’re here to help.

Until next time, stay empowered.

Has anyone tried to convince you that a career in the arts is impractical? Have your parents told you to pursue a “safe, secure job” in favor of trying to make a living out of your passion? In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David untangles this convoluted web and illuminates how traditional models are outdated and established norms should be questioned. If you’ve ever been told, “If Van Gogh couldn’t do it, you can’t either,” then you’ll want to tune in to this episode.

What inspired David to write The Renegade Musician? Where did the concept come from, and how did it impact the direction of the book? In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David elaborates on how The Renegade Musician came to be, as well as the works that inspired it, and the trails that were blazed before him.

David began work on The Renegade Musician during the pandemic and, later, what he describes as “One of the most tumultuous times in my life,” as he was surfing from couch to hotel, hotel to Airbnb, Airbnb to car. The book that emerged is his gritty, no-nonsense magnum opus and has received acclaim from artists, influencers, and publishers alike. In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David begins the all-new Renegade Musician series by illuminating the significance of the book cover and how it applies to the content inside.

In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Podcast, we start at the very beginning and take you all the way to the end. From pre-conference preparation to post-conference reflections, this episode features the complete Music Pro ’26 journey.

While in Hollywood, CA, at the Musicians Institute, David caught up with Linda Blaise to have her share about her experience at the Music Pro ’26 conference, the sessions, the celebrity musicians, her takeaways, and more.

In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David passes the mic with Musicpreneur Academy’s Tiamo De Vettori at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA, at the Music Pro ’26 conference, to discuss keynote concerts.

While at Music Pro ’26 in Hollywood at the Musicians Institute, David caught up with his friend and collaborator Sunavana Grace (of S.H.I.N.E. TV Global Network) to talk about relationships and love.

In this episode of The David Andrew Wiebe Show, David wrangles RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier into a conversation at Music Pro ’26 about AI technologies and their broader implications for artists and the music industry.