The music industry – towards a fairer tune

We are living in the age of platformisation — a time when Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, and other digital platforms have replaced traditional gatekeepers in the music industry. They offer unprecedented access to global audiences, yet profoundly impacting how music is consumed, distributed, and monetized. ekip´s  Policy Lab explored how the European music ecosystem can adapt to the platform economy.

At first glance, the digital age looks like a musical utopia — anyone, anywhere, can upload a song and reach the world. But with over 100,000 tracks hitting Spotify daily, the flood of content buries most voices. Major labels — armed with marketing muscle, metadata mastery, and industry connections — still dominate the charts, leaving many independent artists lost in the noise.

LACK OF UNITED VOICE

As music continues to migrate onto digital platforms, a striking imbalance remains at the heart of this transformation: the very creators driving the industry forward often lack the tools, knowledge, and collective power to advocate for themselves in the digital space.

One of the key obstacles is the lack of a united voice among music ecosystem stakeholders. Without coordinated advocacy, artists, creators, and independent entrepreneurs are often left vulnerable to algorithms, unfair remuneration models, and exploitative platform policies. The fragmentation of voices within the industry undermines any real push for reform or structural change.

From countless talks across Europe it has become obvious to Hannes Tschurtz that “knowledge is power”. He has over 25 years in the music industry, increasingly focusing on policy, advising bodies.

Running a label or working with artists has always been a financial balancing act, he claims. And it’s only getting tougher. As a new generation of creatives faces better-paying jobs with healthier work-life balance, the music industry risks losing its talent to more stable paths.

“The constant romanticizing of the music business is by far not enough to draw people into it, these days. A lack of professional workers and/or knowledgeable artists, however, will endanger the whole creative sector as such. We need to have an interest to stop this downward spiral for the sake of creative culture as a whole.”

Many young artists lack vital industry knowledge, and fragmentation in the field, along with weak networks, fuels their absence from key debates.

“However, I’m convinced that good policy means giving those a voice that else could not be heard properly.”

Long-term solutions could be by starting embedding creativity and rights education early in schools. Creative economies hold significant cultural and economic value — essential knowledge for anyone pursuing music professionally is Hannes Tschurtz beliefs.

MUSIC MORE THAN BUSINESS

Harmonizing data structures and promoting transparency is another pressing need. Without standardized, accessible data, it’s nearly impossible for artists to track royalties or understand performance metrics.

“After such a long time in the business I still don’t understand how this still is a sheer impossible task. Streaming on the other hand proved that an outside agent like Spotify can implement standards through market power. I am not sure if the EU would be able to enforce a proper standard to link all rightsholders to a work and/or recording, but I would certainly appreciate it.”

Music is more than a business — it’s a vital carrier of language, tradition, and history, with cultural value far beyond profit margins.

As platform-driven models dominate music, a widening gap emerges between corporate interests and the creative communities that sustain the industry. The cracks in its foundation are becoming harder to ignore.

“The role it plays in carrying languages, traditions and history is more important to society than shareholder value to some. This is the foundation to argue for regulations, taxes and so forth; which in return need to have creatives involved, as stakeholders, not just as bystanders and servants for corporate interests”, says Hannes Tschurtz.

FANS DON’T JUST LISTEN 

In the platform age, audiences are no longer passive consumers but active participants, reshaping how music is experienced and challenging traditional ideas of fan engagement.

“Taken from recent experiences at live shows and from looking at social platforms like TikTok it becomes apparent that music is about to make the most dramatic shift in its history. From owning music to consumption was a relatively small step compared to the will and, I would argue, need to participate”, says Hannes Tschurtz.

Fans today don’t just listen — they perform, remix, and amplify. From lip-syncs to live shows, music is becoming a collaborative tool, fueling a growing remix culture.

“Current examples are TikToks that go viral and are based on barely more than a joke or even happen by accident, but create their own life and legacy through the participation of millions.”

That stage of “meme-fication” of music will only get more diverse Hannes Tschurtz.argues.

“This will likely soon become an extra layer, if not a whole new part of the industry. Like HipHop used records to create new songs, the audience now uses audio- and audiovisual snippets to create their piece of creative art online in thousands.”

NO CLEAR PAYCHECK

With experience in music publishing, sync, A&R, and PR across Denmark and the UK, Thea Tier now leads artist development and management in Estonia, where she also heads the Music Estonia Managers branch to foster collaboration among local managers.

She questions whether the digital age has delivered on its promise, as streaming giants tighten their grip and artists face growing challenges. With each country operating under its own copyright laws and practices, standardisation remains a major challenge — and perhaps an unattainable one.

“I think it has become fairer and more open but with baby steps as there are so many legal aspects to face before we can be “one big open world”. But I am sure we can make the transparency and equalization much better.”

With labels cutting costs, artists shoulder more power—but also more responsibility and confusion—especially early in their careers. Platforms like Spotify and YouTube remain essential, but without strong, fair competitors, their dominance leaves artists with few real alternatives.

“I believe that there are so many great ways and platforms to spread and deliver one’s music these days to the whole world that we do not have to be controlled by the big names and companies”, Thea Tier says.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST 

At the heart of the issue is a structural conflict of interest. When the same entities that own content also control the platforms that distribute it, fairness becomes elusive. Major labels can prioritize their own catalogues, negotiate privileged terms, and dominate algorithmic exposure—leaving independent artists to fight for scraps in a distorted playing field.

Thea Tier sees that major labels play a key role in supporting emerging artists, thanks to their extensive networks and services built over decades. But their growing control—owning or acquiring distribution platforms and influencing Spotify playlist priorities—raises serious legal and ethical concerns in what should be a fair and open market.

“It is definitely not right that our main streaming platforms are owned by our main record companies as they will always be down for primarily their own interests.”

Thea Tier believes meaningful change requires coordinated legal and governmental action—not just from one or two nations, but across the EU, UK, and ideally the US.

MUSIC A CULTURAL RIGHT?

Music is both cultural expression and commercial product—created, sold, and consumed.

But beyond economics lies a deeper question: is music a market product or a cultural right?  Should music be treated not only as a commodity, but as a public good? Thea Tier has a clear idea:

”Music carries so many additional values—almost like medicine. It can enhance our well-being, enrich our lives, and be used in countless ways. It’s a social and connecting tool that everyone should have access to.”