Peloton is emerging as a surprisingly lucrative streaming platform for musicians, offering per-stream payouts that significantly outperform major music streaming services. Recent data shows Peloton paying artists approximately 4 cents per stream, roughly ten times more than Spotify's rate of 0.35 cents.

Independent artist Steven Cravis recently demonstrated this stark contrast after earning $1,078.46 from 26,456 Peloton streams of his Halloween-themed track "Dark Crystal." This amounts to roughly $0.0407 per stream, exceeding even Peloton's previously reported 2021 rate of 3.1 cents per stream.

Per-Stream Payout Comparison:

• Peloton: $0.0407
• Tidal: $0.0088
• Apple Music: $0.0068
• Spotify: $0.0035
• YouTube: $0.0015

This disparity becomes even more significant when considering Spotify's recent policy changes. The platform now requires tracks to accumulate at least 1,000 streams within 12 months before qualifying for royalty payments. In Cravis's case, while his Halloween track generated significant revenue on Peloton, it earned nothing on Spotify under the new rules.

While Peloton's streaming volume can't match major music streaming platforms, its superior payout rate offers artists, particularly independent ones, a potentially valuable revenue stream. This case study highlights the growing importance of considering alternative streaming platforms in music distribution strategies.

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