As a passionate artist who has experienced the inequities within the music industry firsthand, I can't stand by while streaming platforms exploit hard-working musicians. My music, like that of countless others, deserves to be fairly compensated, yet platforms like Spotify continue to undervalue our art, offering less than a penny per play. It is time for a change.

Spotify, the largest and most influential streaming service, has the power and responsibility to set a fair standard for artist compensation. For every stream, artists should receive at least one penny. The "Penny Per Play" movement insists on this fundamental fairness, calling out Spotify's current practice of paying artists abysmally low fractions of cents per stream while profiting immensely from their creations and charging users increasing monthly fees.

A 2020 investigation by Rolling Stone revealed that Spotify paid artists just $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. At these rates, an artist would need millions of streams to barely make a living wage. This model does nothing but enrich Spotify’s executives and shareholders at the expense of the creative individuals who are the heartbeat of the platform.

The issue extends beyond individual artists; it is a reflection of how the music industry values creativity and labor. When businesses like Spotify reap rewards without equitability distributing gains to creators, the integrity of art and fairness in labor are compromised.

We urge Spotify to lead the way in revolutionizing artist compensation by adopting a "Penny Per Play" standard. This change will not only support the livelihood of countless artists but also reinforce the sustainability of the music industry itself.

Support musicians and all those who believe in the fair treatment of creative labor by signing this petition. Let's ensure that every play is counted fairly, and that each artist is paid what they rightfully deserve. Stand with artists. Sign the "Penny Per Play" petition today.