Indie rapper wants OPM artists off Spotify, Apple Music

The proposal reflects the growing frustration over how OPM artists earn from streaming. But while sKarm’s math sounds appealing, it assumes artists can consistently—and realistically—sell thousands of albums.

Selling music involves far more than recording songs. Manufacturing CDs or vinyl records, producing digital releases, marketing, distribution, shipping, warehousing, and promotion all require funding and manpower. Record labels often shoulder these costs for their artists. While there are long-standing criticisms about revenue sharing, these are risks and investments that many independent artists cannot easily absorb alone.

Streaming, meanwhile, has become the dominant way people consume music. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s Global Music Report 2026 says streaming income now accounts for 69.6% of all global recorded music revenue, with total streaming revenues surpassing $22 billion. Paid subscription streaming makes up 52.4% of global revenues alone, with 837 million paid subscription users worldwide.

The Philippine market adds another layer of complexity. Royalties vary depending on whether listeners use free or premium accounts. Many Filipinos rely on free accounts and should there be subscriptions, these are usually shared. Some even use modified APK apps, avoiding paying altogether.

But how much do artists earn from streaming? Platforms compensate rights holders on a per-stream basis. Industry estimates place Apple Music’s average payout at around $0.01 per stream, Spotify between $0.003 and $0.005, and YouTube Music between $0.002 and $0.008. However, actual payouts vary by country and licensing agreements.

Listening habits also matter. Filipino audiences are largely playlist-driven rather than album-driven—relying on curated playlists, algorithmic recommendations, and viral trends to discover music. While dedicated fanbases still purchase merchandise, attend concerts, and support album releases, they represent only a portion of the public.

Consumer demand also remains unpredictable. Filipinos listen to both local and international music, making it difficult to assume that independently released OPM albums would consistently sell in the volumes the proposal envisions.

sKarm also suggested government involvement to help “give the reins back to the Filipino artist.” While public support could provide additional resources for musicians, it also raises questions about censorship, political influence, and how funding would be allocated.

As artists grapple with streaming royalties, another disruption has emerged: artificial intelligence. AI-generated songs have begun appearing on streaming platforms, prompting industry figures like Jonathan Manalo to warn that human-made music is now competing with machine-generated tracks for listeners and royalties.

Even veteran singer Jose Mari Chan has acknowledged how much the industry has changed. He said he no longer receives royalties from physical records because “nobody buys records, CDs anymore.”

The question is no longer simply whether OPM can survive without Spotify or Apple Music. It is whether the music industry can fairly compensate artists while remaining affordable for listeners—and whether Filipinos themselves are willing to pay for the music they value.

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