Jahoo.

Music Mashable has a big long article about Spotify which makes many of the same points I have about the service for years, especially how some artists (Thom York) (Aimee Mann) have missed the point. This paragraph is especially important:

"Macias thinks his artists receive a fair deal from the music platform, but that it’s too early to judge the service in the U.S. “It's a tree that will grow into a very sustaining shelter,” he says.

He specifically cites Sweden, which he says has “grown into an entire forest,” as a prime example of the service’s potential impact on artists. The country has an estimated 1.5 million subscribers — 15% of its entire population. As a result, Spotify comprises 70% of the country’s entire pre-recorded music revenues, more than any other individual retailer. Macias says those figures still haven’t peaked as revenue has grown during each of the past five years, including a 14% jump in 2012 and a 12% rise so far in 2013.

“The impact isn't just theoretical or hypothetical — it's real,” he says. “How anyone can make the argument that this isn't a viable business or they don't pay rights holders?”

In a Billboard op-ed, the Thirty Tigers president applied the Swedish market to one of his American artists, singer-songwriter John Fullbright, as an example to project the service’s potential impact. He found a stark difference for the Oklahoma-based artist, who Macias noted had sold a little less than 20,000 records. Fullbright, who currently makes $2,300 from the service, could earn $65,000 if the U.S. had Sweden’s market penetration."

Far from suggesting they're the devil, musicians should be doing all they can to promote the service, encourage subscribers. The larger the user base, the greater the number of streams, the greater the amount of royalties paid. Some do, including the little green logo next to other social media options like Twitter and Facebook. In an ideal world there'd be vouchers for a free Premium month in physical cds or codes included in digital downloads or on concert tickets.