Wider reach for artistes through streaming but lower royalty Pix for representational purpose only. PETALING JAYA: While streaming music through Spotify and Apple Music gives artistes a wider reach, it is not financially lucrative for them in the long term. Artistes are paid royalty every time their songs are played but the rates are minimal. Nonetheless, it has caught on with consumers due to the wider choices and lower cost, and perhaps the convenience. With more than 200 million active users worldwide, Spotify leads the pack in the music streaming business. By 2019, it had more than 100 million paid subscribers in the United States alone. Collectively, they contributed 80% to music revenue in the country.