Video Audio TimePresenter is in front of a green screen.Contemporary artsy looking background added.

PRESENTER: Hey guys, it’s Rye here for Independent Music News London.

50 years ago, we would have all owned a mixtape (examples of successful mixtapes as graphics pop up) of some underground artist or the other. But face-to-face mixtape sales has always been a means to an end.

Streaming has become the best way for independent artists to release music since mixtapes. But is it beneficial to the artist, or just another method of exploitation? In an industry that is constantly changing, can artists be sure to make sales off streaming right now?

Today more music sales are higher than they have ever been before, due to streaming provided from apps such as Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and more.As listeners can listen to as many songs as they want, for a cheaper price through streaming via the internet. This helps the artist reach audiences worldwide quicker.

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Graphics + presenter in front of the green screen.

So face-to-face sales is not completely dead, but streaming has done so much more for artists so far. But that does not necessarily make it 'idea of the year.'

Spotify says that its average payout for a stream to labels and publishers is between £0.005 and £0.0066, however, Information Is Beautiful suggests that the average payment to an artist is £0.0089 – this being what a signed artist receives after the label's share.

The worst payout of all for musicians, however, comes from YouTube, which

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pays out about £0.00024 per play.An artist signed to a record label would thus have to have their Youtube video played about 4,990,000 times in order to earn the monthly U.K minimum wage of £1,182.So what about Tidal?The service pays £0.006 per stream — while it doesn’t sound like much of a difference to its competitors, a signed artist would only need to be streamed 197,000 times on the service to make the monthly minimum wage.

Musicians who stay independent have the potential to earn the most money, according to all the average rates. Unsigned artists average about £4.75 for every £7.93 album downloaded from iTunes through a distributor, while signed artist's average $1.83 per $7.93 album downloaded through iTunes. Minus a label’s take on profits, artists also make more per play on every streaming service.

Cutaways + graphics

PRESENTER: Streaming will earn artists a lot, but only with enough users. Royalty payouts from streaming might seem small now, but that’s because it’s fairly new.

Eventually as more listeners sign-up, the payouts would seem more significant.The alternative is piracy. If music isn’t easily accessible for free with ads or through a subscription, people will just steal it and then artists earn nothing. Last year alone, 1.2 billion songs were illegally downloaded by 7.7 million music fanatics, costing around 1 billion pounds for the industry.

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Presenter in front of the green screen + graphics

So should remain as an independent artist or sign yourself up to a label?

The big money’s always been through performing And Merchandise – Labels have always cheated artists out of recorded music dollars. Artists should also think of streaming as a brand promotion tactic.

As an independent artist, you are more likely to earn a fair share of the money you receive. So through performing and merchandise you may receive up to 100% of the proceeds. However, there are more opportunities brought to the table when signed to a label. So one must be actively searching for opportunities, looking for ways to spread their music on a large scale and probably have a manager, if they are independent.

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Interview + cutaways

VOICEOVER: We're here today at Baker Street to catch up with Jonny and Danny, two members of an independent music band to get an inside look on their experience in the music industry and how they view being signed as part of a label.

So, as we all know, you have achieved independent success in the industry, and you are currently signed to a label. We are all excited to find out, how was your time been in this industry?

(answer) Where was your favourite live

performance?(answer)

Why did you choose to stay/leave your label?

(answer)

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Do you feel you are better off with or without a label?

(answer) Where does majority of your income

come from?(answer)

Can you see a significant change in income and name recognition since you first started?

(answer) Do you think the internet has helped

or hindered your career success?(answer)

Lastly, which deal do you advise coming up artists not to sign or what do you regret ever signing?

(answer)

Footage as if interviewing an international representative + use of graphics

take a screenshot of this tweet https://twitter.com/JmeBBK/status/811900629467729920 for reference

I'm here with signed music producer, ______.

What are your opinions on music piracy?(answer)

How has your music been affected by piracy?(answer)

Is it really necessary to be assigned to a record label in todays day and age?(answer)

How has being assigned to a label helped you in your music career?(answer)

Has streaming helped or hindered your career in this industry?(answer)

Where do you feel the lion share is in this industry?

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(answer)

Answer guide:

relate to both Taylor Swift information and Chip, Kojo Funds, Yxng Bane,etc

use nipsey hussle information - In October 2012, unsigned rapper, Nipsey Hussle made $100,000 by selling 1,000 copies of his mixtape, Crenshaw, for $100 each. He shifted every single CD in less than 24 hours at a pop-up store in his hometown of L.A.

the money is in songwriting and producers (behind the scenes work)

interviewee is a signed music producer who used to create albums in her bedroom

Vox pops (questions for the public)

In front of a green screen with videos of their favourite artists behind.

We asked staff here at, Independent Music News London, on their views on music streaming today.

(Questions are not said, only answers)

1. Who is your favourite artist and how do you listen to their music?

2. Do you think paying for music is fair?

3. Do you prefer Soundcloud or Apple Music/Tidal/Spotify?

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