Music Royalty Calculator
Estimate your streaming earnings.
About These Figures
What do the earnings figures actually show?
Earnings shown are what the artist keeps after the platform pays the rights holder and the label/distributor takes their cut. "Platform gross" is what the platform pays before any deal split.
How do deal types change what I earn?
Self-released artists using distributors like DistroKid or TuneCore typically keep ~85% of the platform payout. Indie label deals vary widely but average ~40% net to the artist. Major label deals are typically ~18% of net receipts.
Why does listener region matter?
Per-stream rates vary significantly by listener country — a stream from the US or UK is worth roughly 3–4× a stream from India or Southeast Asia due to lower ad revenue and subscription prices in those markets. YouTube Music shows a blended ad-supported + premium rate; Premium-only streams pay significantly more (~$0.008).
Don't major labels get better rates?
Major labels negotiate higher per-stream licensing rates directly with platforms (~25% above standard), but because they retain ~82% of royalties, artists on major deals still typically earn less per stream than self-released artists.
Where do these rates come from?
The Trichordist Annual Streaming Price Bible, Music Business Worldwide and Loudwire (2024–2025 data). RATES UPDATED: JUN 2026