Los Campesinos! Detail Streaming Revenue Disparities, Revealing TIDAL Pays Considerably More Than Spotify
Indie-pop band Los campesinos! have publicly disclosed their 2025 streaming revenue, exposing a stark contrast in payouts between platforms and highlighting the financial challenges facing artists in the digital music landscape. The Welsh collective revealed that TIDAL generated substantially more income per stream than industry leader Spotify,a revelation that underscores ongoing debates about fair artist compensation.
The band’s detailed breakdown arrives amid increasing scrutiny of streaming economics, following recent studies showing independent labels retain a larger percentage of profits for artists and a growing wave of criticism directed at Spotify’s royalty rates. Los Campesinos!’ transparency aims to provide concrete data for fellow musicians navigating the complexities of digital distribution and to fuel the conversation around lasting income models for artists.
Earlier this year, Los Campesinos! previously detailed the financial realities of touring, reporting a loss on a single Dublin show despite a strong performance.This latest disclosure builds on that effort to demystify the economics of being a working musician in 2025.
The band’s data shows a significant per-stream difference. While specific figures were not instantly released, sources confirm TIDAL’s payout rate was demonstrably higher than Spotify’s, resulting in a larger overall revenue share for Los Campesinos! despite potentially lower overall stream counts on the platform.
This revelation follows Spotify founder Daniel Ek’s proclamation in September that he would step down as CEO in January 2026, a move occurring against a backdrop of ongoing criticism regarding artist payments and Ek’s other business ventures. Spotify recently claimed to have paid $10 billion (£7.58 billion) in royalties in 2024, but artists continue to question the fairness of the distribution model.
The band’s decision to share this data comes after they turned down a $60,000 advertising deal with Airbnb, citing ethical concerns regarding the company’s alleged connections to “stolen Palestinian land.” This demonstrates a commitment to aligning their financial decisions with their political and social values, further emphasizing their dedication to transparency and accountability.
