Successful songwriter Sam Barsh recently revealed his streaming royalty earnings from collaborations with major artists, highlighting the challenging economics of music streaming for creators.

Here are his key earnings breakdowns:

• Kendrick Lamar's "Institutionalized" (12% share): Less than $20,000 despite the album going Platinum and winning a Grammy
• Anderson .Paak's "Heart Don't Stand a Chance" and "Your Prime" (16.66% share each): Less than $5,000 total
• Logic's "Black Spiderman": Less than $2,000
• Aloe Blacc's "The Man" (8.5% share): Approximately $200,000 over 5 years, largely due to download sales in 2013

Barsh notes that streaming royalties for publishing are significantly lower than traditional sales revenue. While streaming provides artists with exposure and opportunities for touring and merchandise sales, the actual streaming payouts remain notably small.

To illustrate the disparity, Barsh compared it to a doctor completing years of training only to find their expected $400,000 salary reduced to $60,000.

Despite these challenges, Barsh encourages songwriters to:

• Continue writing songs
• Join organizations like SONA and Recording Academy to advocate for better compensation
• Adapt to streaming as it's "here to stay"
• Explore additional revenue streams beyond streaming

He acknowledges having strong industry relationships and fair publishing deals, emphasizing that the issue lies with streaming payment structures rather than unfair contracts or industry practices.

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