(The thought being: Why disclose something that might change in the near future?) Apple Music instead took the opportunity to remind recipients that is has already “invested millions to optimize publishing operations to ensure songwriters are paid as quickly as possible.” That may be due to an ongoing legal battle amongst publishers, who have been fighting for an increase piece of the overall streaming pie for some time now. Spotify did, however, launch a website for creators last month to provide some clarity on the matter, but failed to provide specific numbers such as average per-stream rates.Īs for songwriters, the memo revealed that it pays “every publisher and licensor the same headline rate within each country,” although a specific percentage was not shared. That statement likely has some teeth, given that Spotify - Apple Music’s biggest competitor - has never revealed its per-play figure. “We believe in paying every creator the same rate, that a play has a value, and that creators should never have to pay for featuring,” Apple Music continued. (The memo was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.)

The music-streaming company made the announcement in a memo it sent to artists, labels, and other music rights-holders as part of a new series of newsletters. “As the discussion about streaming royalties continues, we believe it is important to share our values,” Apple Music wrote in the memo, which Rolling Stone has obtained and reviewed.

On Friday morning, Apple Music revealed a long-coveted detail to the music business: Its average per-play rate is one cent per stream.

Spotify vs apple music paying artists