A Grammy, A Gumball Machine, and $0.004 per Stream

An Open Letter to Daniel Ek from the Independent Music Community

Dear Daniel Ek,

You may not know me, but you know my work. In fact, you've probably profited from it. I’m one of the many independent musicians whose songs live on your platform—streamed thousands of times, earning me pennies on the dollar.

So let’s imagine a dream come true: I win a Grammy. I walk on stage, photo of you in hand, and say:

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Daniel Ek—the CEO of Spotify, worth over $7 billion. Since 2008, he’s given you every song ever made for just $10/month.

If you’re a fan, that’s a miracle. If you’re an artist… it’s a math problem.”

Let’s do the math.

To make the equivalent of $15/hour working a 40-hour week—the bare minimum in my home state of New Jersey—I’d need 800,000 streams per month. That’s every month. Forever.

I’d make more money selling gumballs.Seriously. A quarter per gumball? That’s $200K if I move 800K In gumballs instead of streams. And I won't need to reinvent myself as a special media influencer to move them, I just have to place the machines where kids can see it when they leave a store. 

But you changed the game, Daniel. You didn’t just build Spotify—you redefined the economics of an entire industry. You decided that music is worth less than a cup of coffee. And now artists everywhere are playing by rules they didn’t write.

We’re not just broke. We’re burned out, bootstrapped, and being told we’re “lucky” to have a platform.

I joke about selling gumballs, but it’s not really a joke. Every musician I know has had to hustle harder than ever just to keep going.

That’s why I believe in what Divvy Music is doing. It’s not a “Spotify killer”—it’s a new option. A better one. Built by indies, for indies.

So What’s the Solution?

Platforms like Spotify may be here to stay—but they shouldn't be the only option.

We need a new ecosystem. One that values music and the people who make it. One that puts the community first, reinvests in indie artists, and creates real, local revenue streams.

That’s why I believe in Divvy Music—a streaming app built by artists, for artists. It’s part streaming service, part brick-and-mortar community hub. As part of the advisory team, I am proud to be part of making sure artists aren't forgotten–again. 

Divvy doesn’t just give musicians a place to share their music. It creates opportunities to earn, grow, and connect—with fans, venues, and each other. It’s time to change the tune.Thanks for listening. 

—Bryan Hansen (and every indie artist trying to make it work)

[Editor's Note:] Bryan’s story is funny—but also heartbreakingly real. What starts as a Grammy speech parody is actually a snapshot of what it's like to be a working musician in the streaming era. The truth is, Bryan's math isn’t off. For most indie artists, streaming platforms just don’t add up.

That’s why we created Divvy Music—because artists deserve better.

How You Can Help Right Now

Support the Divvy Music crowdfunding campaign with a donation or a share and help us build a better future for independent music here.

🎵 Share this post and follow @divvy.music on Instagram 💬 Tag a musician who deserves more than $0.004 per stream  📢 Use the hashtag #divvymusic #streamsofthought 👉 Support Divvy Music on Spotfund. Because the algorithm shouldn’t own the future of music. If you’re a musician, a fan, a local showgoer, or just someone who wants artists to get paid fairly, we hope you’ll follow along—and help us build something better. And if you'd like to contribute an article, contact at hey@divvymusic.com

"(Spotify) has given you every song ever made for just $10/month. If you’re a fan, that’s a miracle. If you’re an artist… it’s a math problem.”

About Bryan Hansen: hailing from Central New Jersey (it does exist) he is the founder and front man of the Bryan Hansen Band. Their music, as defined by Lenny Green of WBLS, is a soulful concoction dubbed "Blue Eyed Soul," blending funky rhythms with bluesy vibes and soulful melodies.

From the Jersey Shore to iconic venues like Bowery Electric NYC and the House of Blues Anaheim, these guys have been Making America Funky Again. They've even graced the legendary Troubadour in West Hollywood and been featured at Winter NAMM 2020 & 2024 and SoFar Sounds D.C. & NYC.