Bypass: Music Industry News for Independent Artists

Friday edition - 2 min read

Streaming’s For The Industry, Not The Artist

What’s Up

Hopeless Records president Louis Posen just said the quiet part out loud: "Streaming saved the industry but stifled the artist.”

So What

Welcome to the modern streaming landscape, where Spotify is paying you $1,000 for 250,000+ streams. It’s probably got artists like you saying, “Man, all that hard work for nothing… well, time to get a real job.”

That’s why Posen’s proposing a “Direct Access” tier where fans can pay you directly.

Now What

TIDAL is starting to experiment with something similar. But you don’t have to wait until platforms figure it out; just do one thing: own your audience. We’re talking email lists, communities, and direct contact. You know what serious artists do.

[Full story at Music Ally]

The Feature to Solve One Specific, Annoying Problem

What’s Up

Streaming’s got a serious problem. Call it FRD (Fake Release Disorder). Just ask Emily Portman and The Sweet Enoughs—they've got it bad. Their discography is getting flooded with crappy AI songs that have nothing to do with them.

Plot twist: Spotify is doing something about it (no, seriously). They’re rolling out Artist Profile Protection. It adds an approval step before any content is uploaded to your profile.

So What

Been on Spotify’s Release Radar lately? You’re guaranteed to spot a few fake releases. It’s annoying, yeah, but it’s doing something way more sinister, damaging your rep. And it’s about time you had the tools to fight against slop.

Now What

Opt in through Spotify for Artists while the feature is in beta. Be one of the early adopters who shape how the feature works in the future. If you’ve been spoofed before or you have a common name, this is non-negotiable.

[Full story at Music Ally]

“Screw The Artists,” Said The White House, Basically

What’s Up

“Training AI on copyrighted material may not violate copyright law.” That wasn’t a statement from AI companies looking to dodge any accountability. That was a statement from the US government in their new National AI Policy Framework.

So What

To be fair, they’re leaving the final call to the courts. But that doesn’t help knowing where the White House stands on the issue. This means your music could get used for AI training without permission. Major labels are fighting this, so that’s always a good thing… for the major labels.

Now What

Groups like A2IM are pushing back. The court cases happening right now are what will shape the future of music, so pay attention and support the people who’ve got your back.

[Full story at Music Ally]