Spotify Forces Shutdown of Artist Royalty Calculator With Legal Action
Spotify has shut down the 'Unwrapped' artist royalty calculator following legal threats. The calculator was designed to show music fans how little artists earn from streaming services by using data from Spotify Wrapped.
Spotify Unwrapped website error screen
The site previously allowed users to calculate artist earnings by multiplying total streams by $0.003 – the approximate per-stream rate. The calculator highlighted the contrast between artist compensation and executive earnings at Spotify.
The shutdown comes as Spotify executives engaged in significant stock sales in 2023-2024:
- Daniel Ek (CEO): $350 million
- Martin Lorentzon (Co-Founder): $550 million
- Gustav Söderström (Chief Product & Technology Officer): $106 million
- Katarina Berg (Chief Human Resources Officer): $38 million
- Alex Norström (Chief Business Officer): $63 million
- Dustee Jenkins (Head of Public Relations): $6 million
Total insider stock sales have reached $1.25 billion in 2024 alone, while Spotify's stock value has nearly tripled, approaching a $100 billion market capitalization. This follows major cost-cutting measures in 2023, including a 25% workforce reduction and Premium subscription price increases across several markets.
The United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) continues to advocate for better artist compensation, despite the calculator's removal.
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