We caught up with a handful of Cleveland artists to hear more about how they confront the divisive world of music streaming. Hear from Cleveland musician Samantha Flowers, who makes music with FreshProduce and as Sam Supreme, below, and a few other musicians here.
Streaming Earnings: How much has Samantha Flowers (aka Sam Supreme, aka half of Cleveland hip-hop duo FreshProduce) made through streaming? “Pennies,” she says.
The last time she checked DistroKid, her balance was at $93, built up over much of 2023. But that’s all right with the local artist, who views her work in music as a business and as an emotional outlet. “I personally use Spotify more like a marketing tool,” Flowers says.
Pros and Cons: Spotify and other streaming websites allow Flowers to tap into demographic information about her fans. “I'm trying to understand my business and the industry and my place in it, and then make my decisions according to that and according to the analytics — all the things that exist to help guide me to what decisions I should make for my music business,” Flowers says. “That's what Spotify gives me; it tells me who's listening where they're listening.”
However, she mentioned that data can be tricky, as not all streaming sites are alike; her fans in France, for example, favor Deezer over other platforms.
Making Money: Sync placements, merchandise sales and live performances are key pieces of Flowers’ music revenue. But she sees streaming as preceding some of those other facets.
“I need Spotify because I need people to know I exist. Once they know I exist, it’s my goal to get them to interact with my business, to continue to stream, to buy a hat, to buy a sticker, to buy a button, to come to a show.”
The musician says it’s crucial for local musicians to register their music with copyright and performance rights organizations like the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) and SoundExchange to retain rights over intellectual property. Beyond that, she says the main concern is marketing — getting her music in front of listeners who want to support it. “I know that's hard for a lot of musicians to accept, but it is a business,” she says. “But the cool thing is we have the power to control our business and get in and connect with those people that value us because they exist in the city. I've felt them. They have paid my bills and bought my groceries.”
The Outlook: Streaming might shift gears in a big way, in the future. Flowers thinks blockchain technology will enter the conversation, allowing for smoother information-gathering between artists and their fans — while older platforms might transition to social media-focused spaces. “Looking at the industry overall, it’s changing,” Flowers says. “For me, as a local musician, and as somebody that is not plugged into the industry, I’m excited because I’m seeing niches and places where I can fit myself in and have a marketable business.”
She has used emerging streaming platforms like the blockchain-powered site Even, which lets musicians sell music to listeners. “I’m focusing on capturing my ownership,” she says. “What does it really mean to own your music?”
The Bottom Line: Fan engagement is important for Flowers and any local musician, for lots of reasons. “If we can show that Cleveland f***s with us, we can go anywhere in the world with those numbers,” Flowers says. “If I am trying to get a show in another city, I have to show them some numbers, and so if I can't show them, ‘this is how many people buy my stuff,’ or ‘this is how many people buy tickets,’ I can't move forward until I hit that goal.”
For those looking to support the local music scene, Flowers encourages setting aside funds in entertainment budgets to support bands and artists. “We need people, not just a stream. Streaming is cool; play that sh** all day. But if you play it all day, come to a show. If you play all day, you can’t come to a show, go on Bandcamp and give us $20,” she says.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to appear in the April 2024 issue of Cleveland Magazine with artist updates.
Read more Cleveland musicians' experiences with streaming sites here.
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