Does royalty transparency really help artists, or just platforms?
Does streaming royalty transparency actually benefit artists, or just the platforms? I've had two songs on Spotify for three years and my statement still doesn't tell me why a playlist add in Germany pays more than a stream in Brazil. Friends who release on Bandcamp say the per-sale data is clearer, but their audience is tiny. Maybe the real issue isn't the payout rate but that we can't verify how plays are counted at all. If you're a musician, have you ever found the royalty breakdown useful, or is it just a number you can't act on?