Spotify paid out more than $11 billion to artists and the wider music industry in 2025, according to a statement on the Spotify for Artists blog by Charlie Hellman, Spotify’s Head of Music. The total marks a year-on-year increase of over 10 percent and is the largest annual payout to music creators from any retailer in history.
Independent artists received half of all royalties
Hellman confirmed that independent artists and labels earned around half of all Spotify royalties last year.
“Last year alone, Spotify paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry, the largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history. Once again, independent artists and labels accounted for half of all royalties.”
Spotify now represents roughly 30 percent of global recorded music revenue. Payouts grew by more than 10 percent in 2025, compared with around 4 percent growth across other revenue streams.
“There are now more artists generating over $100k a year from Spotify alone than were getting stocked on record store shelves at the height of the CD era,” Hellman added.
Streaming growth and fan-driven revenue
More than 750 million people worldwide now pay monthly for music streaming. Spotify pays out almost two-thirds of its revenue to rightsholders, with the remainder reinvested into platform improvements, discovery tools, and fan engagement features.
2026 focus: new artists, editorial, and live shows
Spotify plans to help emerging artists cut through the noise in 2026. The platform will expand storytelling tools, strengthen artist verification, grow editorial playlists, and improve live music integrations. Spotify says it has already helped artists generate more than $1 billion in ticket sales through its live music features.
“Unprecedented competition alongside unprecedented opportunity defines today’s music industry. Our focus is ensuring that growth creates clear, reliable paths for artists to reach fans, and sustain careers,” Hellman said.
