Weird Al Yankovic took to social media to humorously criticize Spotify's streaming payouts, claiming his 80 million streams earned him enough for "a nice sandwich at a restaurant" – approximately $12, according to his tongue-in-cheek calculation.

Photo Credit: Mathieu Turle

While Yankovic's math was intentionally exaggerated for effect, his criticism highlights ongoing concerns about streaming platform payouts. At Spotify's typical rate of $0.003 to $0.005 per stream, 80 million streams would actually generate around $240,000 before splits with rights holders.

The timing of his commentary coincides with Spotify's recent announcement of a new royalty policy that eliminates payments for songs with fewer than 1,000 annual streams. This change has reignited discussions about fair compensation in music streaming.

Yankovic's situation is particularly unique due to his parody work. Despite parody being protected under fair use, he traditionally seeks permission from original songwriters, leading to varied royalty-sharing arrangements. As his lawyer Chuck Hurewitz noted in 1991, "Weird Al's substantial market success... has made it possible for Yankovic to bargain for a lucrative share in the copyright of the parody version of the song."

The satirist's commentary reflects broader industry concerns about streaming economics, even as platforms like Spotify continue to reshape how music is both created and consumed.

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