How Much Does Apple Music Pay Per Stream? (Answered)

I often get asked how much Apple Music pays per stream. In this post, I will answer this question and more about the streaming music business.

We all want passive income, and streaming services can be a cash cow. But can you make a decent income through a streaming service like Apple Music? And how much does Apple Music pay per stream? This post will discuss everything you need to know about Apple Music, from its features to its pricing. I’ll also answer some common questions about the service.

How much does Apply Music pay per stream? Apple Music pays musicians an average of $0.01 per stream as of 2023. Thus, one stream is equivalent to one penny.

What is Apple Music?

Apple Music mixes global radio-style programming with subscription-based music streaming. The service is unlimited for customers. In addition, you can access Apple Music’s huge 90-million-song catalog for a one-time charge.

Image of airpods and a black iphone on a table. Source: auguras pipiras, unsplash
Image of airpods and a black iphone on a table. Source: auguras pipiras, unsplash

All new iPhones, iPads, and Macs already have the Music app pre-installed, which is how you access the service. In addition, the app can be used on Android phones, smart TVs, streaming boxes, and game consoles. You may also access Apple Music online at music.apple.com.

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My favorite MIDI keyboard (at the moment):

AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3

How much does apple music pay per stream? (answered) | 717qmgla7zl. Ac sl1500 | audio apartment
My favorite MIDI keyboard (at the moment):

AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3

I’m loving the AKAI MPK Mini MK3 for its compact design and the range of controls. It’s one of my essential tools. The velocity-sensitive keys and MPC-style pads are great for making beats, while the thumbstick and knobs give me precise control.

How does Apple Music work?

Apple Music works the same way as any other media streaming subscription service, whether it be a music-only service like Spotify or Tidal, a TV service like Hulu, or a movie and TV combo service like Netflix or HBO Now.

The focus of Apple Music is streaming. Although you pay a one-time price to gain access to Apple Music’s entire library, you do not truly own the music you hear. You only listen to tunes that are stored remotely and are owned by Apple; the files do not exist individually on your devices.

How much does Apple Music pay per stream?

The typical pay-per-stream pricing on Apple Music ranges from $0.006 to $0.01. Streaming royalties are typically calculated on a per-streaming basis. The value per stream is based on the subscription plan and the listener’s country. Apple estimates that its typical pay-per-stream rate is $0.01. As a result, your earnings per stream will vary, but as you receive more streams, your earnings should stabilize at around $0.01.

Image of laptop, and an iphone connected with a black earphones. Source: rupixen com, unsplash
Image of a laptop and an iphone connected with black earphones. Source: rupixen com, unsplash

What affects the Apple Music royalty rate?

While the average artist pay per stream is one penny per stream, according to the letter published by Apple Music, two significant reasons can cause this average to change.

  • Subscription plan for your listeners: Subscribers who want to stream music on Apple Music have a choice of several subscription packages. Users of Apple Music can stream music for free and without advertisements during a trial period. However, with an Apple Music premium membership plan, users must continue to pay $9.99 per month to access and enjoy music without advertisements. As a result, your average pay-per-stream rate will increase as more people stream your music through a premium membership plan.
  • Country or region of your listeners: Similar to Spotify, your Apple Music pay-per-stream rate depends on where your listeners are coming from. Each nation, area, or territory pays a different rate to stream songs on Apple Music. This means that if people in certain places listen to your music, your royalty fee will probably be higher.

How are streaming payouts calculated?

Payouts are easy to figure out. Most streaming services have a set payout rate per stream, and the number of streams is multiplied by that rate.

The more streams your music can create on Apple Music, the more likely you will boost your royalty income from platform streams…

Apple, for instance, has publicly stated that its payout rate is 52%. Accordingly, if Apple produced $1 million in sales, they would allocate $520,000 to the artists based on their number of streams and other parameters like the genre of music fans and the streaming area.

How can you make more money from streams on Apple Music?

The more streams your music can create on Apple Music, the more likely you will boost your royalty income from platform streams and reach the average pay-per-stream rate. The most crucial step after making your music accessible on Apple Music is getting it authenticated.

Once your Apple Music for Artists account has been verified, you can only use the features that are only available to artists, such as getting information about your fans and streams.

In addition to becoming verified, you should make the most of all the promotional tools offered by the platform to get your music in front of as many people as possible. With these options, you can design icons, track previews, and make social links to your music.

If you want even more tips and insights, watch this video called “How Much Apple Music Pays Per Stream | Apple Music Royalties Earnings” from The Curious Incident YouTube channel.

A video called “How Much Apple Music Pays Per Stream | Apple Music Royalties Earnings” from The Curious Incident YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do you still have questions? Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about Apple Music pay-per-stream.

Does Apple Music pay more than Spotify?

According to the average pay-per-stream rates for each platform, Apple Music pays twice as much for each stream as its rival, Spotify. This is primarily due to Spotify having a larger user base than Apple Music, which results in a lower rate per stream because there are more royalty shares.

Do you pay for songs on Apple Music?

Songs you download through Apple Music will be included in your subscription; you won’t be charged separately, but you will need to maintain your subscription to play them.

Can you listen to Apple Music for free?

If you are not subscribed, you can still use music to playback and download previous iTunes Store purchases, stream Apple Music radio for free, and listen to music synced to your iPhone from a Mac or a Windows PC.

How much does apple music pay per million streams?

For every million streams, Apple Music pays artists between $7,000 and $10,000. So you could earn $84,000 to $120,000 yearly just from Apple Music if you could bring in a million streams each month.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that Apple Music’s pricing and strategy differ from other streaming platforms. There are some free options with limited duration, but if you want to listen to music from your favorite artist or songs that have recently trended, you may have to pay a premium.

Key takeaways

This article covered Apple Music, how it works, its pay-per-stream model, and how it is calculated. Here are some key takeaways:

  • Apple Music mixes global radio-style programming with subscription-based music streaming.
  • Apple Music’s average payout per stream is $0.01, depending on the artist and how many streams a campaign generates.
  • The more streams your music can create on Apple Music, the more likely you will boost your royalty income from platform streams and reach the average pay-per-stream rate.

So, have you thought about monetizing your music in Apple Music? And did I cover everything you wanted to know? Let me know in the comments section below. I read and reply to every comment. If you found this article helpful, share it with a friend and check out my full blog for more tips and tricks on music production. Thanks for reading, and never stop making music.

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Image Andrew Ash
Written by Andrew Ash, Staff Writer

Hey there! My name is Andrew, and I'm relatively new to music production, but I've been learning a ton, and documenting my journey along the way. That's why I started this blog. If you want to improve your home studio setup and learn more along with me, this is the place for you!

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Edited by Nick Eggert, Staff Editor

Nick is our staff editor and co-founder. He has a passion for writing, editing, and website development. His expertise lies in shaping content with precision and managing digital spaces with a keen eye for detail.

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