Snoop Dogg in the studio with Tune.fm founder and CEO Andrew Antar, who contributed a violin part to the rapper’s newly released ‘Spaceship Party.’ Photo Credit: Cordell Broadus
So long, Spotify: Snoop Dogg says he’s “ditching” the streaming service for blockchain-powered competitor Tune.fm, where he’s exclusively released a new single.
Snoop Dogg and the self-described “decentralized music streaming platform” just recently reached out with word of the move. In no uncertain terms, the longtime crypto enthusiast Snoop Dogg attributed the switch to his allegedly miniscule Spotify royalty payments.
And on that front, the rap mainstay said he’d pocketed only $45,000 or so from a staggering one billion Spotify streams. Even at the platform’s much-discussed average per-stream recorded royalty rate (not to mention compositional royalties on top of that), the sum does seem rather low.
Spotify reiterated as much in a firmly worded retort, emphasizing that a billion streams would generate “millions” in royalties for rightsholders. Following the idea to its logical conclusion, the service implied that intermediaries had perhaps intercepted the sizable tranche at hand.
“We can’t speak to endorsement deals for Web3 companies but…$45K for a billion streams?” a Spotify spokesperson told DMN. “It’s well documented that a billion streams on Spotify generates millions of dollars to rights holders. It’s unfortunate to hear that Spotify’s payments didn’t make it through to Snoop. Snoop’s a legend and, hopefully now that he owns Death Row Records he’s seeing more of that money.”
In any event, Snoop hasn’t stopped at declaring that he doesn’t “f–k with Spotify anymore,” as he’s also dropped the initially mentioned “Spaceship Party” solely on Tune.fm. “This is a Tune.fm exclusive,” Snoop Dogg drives home at the track’s beginning.
It probably goes without saying given the Tune.fm plug in the song itself, but the Web3 streaming alternative is taking the opportunity to tout its high points. Those include payments “up to 100x more than traditional streaming services,” reaching the appropriate talent/rightsholders “instantly per second streamed.”
(In keeping with the described per-second payment model, fans can access little more than the Tune.fm plug on “Spaceship Party” before a prompt pauses the track and urges them to sign up.)
On the instant-compensation front, Tune.fm deals in JAM, billed as “the official currency of music” and “a real crypto asset with liquidity on major exchanges.” (According to Tune.fm, each of its accounts comes with a wallet for the digital currency – “meaning users don’t need to worry about setting up external crypto accounts.”)
Running with the details, at the intersection of instant payments and the industry’s growing superfan focus, Tune.fm further enables artists to monetize NFTs, merch, concert tickets, and “virtual experiences” on-platform, per higher-ups.
It’s unclear whether Gamma-partnered Snoop Dogg (who previously tested the streaming-exclusive waters with Gala) will completely “ditch” Spotify. At the time of writing, his body of work, boasting nearly 30 million monthly listeners, was still live there.
However, the 53-year-old is teeing up additional Tune.fm initiatives, the company relayed. Among those initiatives are “fan experiences and VIP giveaways,” referring in part to “the possibility of private events and exclusive merchandise drops.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Snoop Dogg as the face of Tune.FM,” added Tune.fm founder and CEO Andrew Antar, who contributed a violin part to the rapper’s newest track. “Snoop is the OG pioneer who is always on the cutting edge of technology and new ways of doing business. He totally gets it, and we are ready to take on the world together.”
Especially in light of the abundance of non-music noise (like AI creations, videos, audiobooks, and podcasts) overcrowding traditional streaming platforms, besides the adjacent hurdles associated with standing out from the crowd, there may well be demand for more tailored and superfan-geared alternatives.
Beyond the Snoop Dogg tie-up, Tune.fm, which announced a $50 million raise in September 2024, says it’s “actively engaging with major labels, distributors, and top-tier artists to bring more exclusive content to the platform.”
Content shared from www.digitalmusicnews.com.