SXSW 2025 – IDOL Panel to Explore Streaming Payment Models
IDOL is bringing the topic of new streaming payment models to SXSW 2025! Titled “Changing The Tune On Streaming Pay – Are New Models Working?”, this advanced-level discussion will dive into the evolving landscape of streaming remuneration and its impact on rightsholders, including artists, labels, songwriters, and other key stakeholders.
Over the past year, major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer have introduced new measures designed to combat fraud and direct more royalties toward professional artists. But are these changes making a real difference? Our panel, featuring industry experts, will evaluate these new models, including spatial audio bonuses, payment thresholds, and the capping of user monetization. Attendees will gain critical insights into how these shifts are influencing the revenue streams of both emerging and established artists.
Moderated by Thomas Sharp Maxwell, IDOL’s US General Manager, the panel will also feature experts such as David Atkinson, Senior Director of Label Relations at Deezer, Bronwyn Ford, Digital Marketing Manager at Fat Possum, and Dan Waite, CEO of Better Noise Music and AIM Digital Committee member as well as Impala Digital Committee Chair. Together, they will explore how demonetizing functional music has helped free up revenue and whether it’s succeeded in eliminating fraud. Moreover, they will address how these new compensation systems are reshaping artists’ release strategies, promotional efforts, and fan engagement tactics.
This session is a must-attend for rightsholders (record labels, artists, songwriters..), managers, DSPs, trade bodies, charts providers and anyone interested in the future of music streaming. Join us to discuss the long-term impact of these innovations and explore what’s next for fair artist remuneration in the digital age.
Don’t miss the conversation at SXSW 2025, where we’ll take a deep dive into the economic evolution of streaming!
More information on the sxsw website