Could it end up like a decentralized Spotify, where musicians actually make money?
Musicians make almost nothing from streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.
According to Blake, an artist will make between $0.003 and $0.005 per stream.
Listening to digital music.Abraham Gonzalez Fernandez / Getty Images
“I think Blakes Vault is a great idea for established artists.
Blake’s Vault Incentive?
Direct artist support isn’t new.
The Vault app.Vault
“Everything on VAULT is behind that paywall, fans cannot go on to discover new music/artists.
We are, unfortunately, long past the days where artists can solely survive on their music alone.
Tero Potila agrees that the Vault favors established acts.
Musicians at work.MoMo Productions / Getty Images
Spotify But Good?
It used to be simple.
If you liked a musician or a band, you’d buy their record.
Then came digital downloads and streaming, neither of which pays as much to the artists.
After recording costs, taxes, and so on, there’s not much left.
MoMo Productions / Getty Images
Blake’s Vault offers a glimpse of what could be.
The tricky part is making all that happen.
Viewed like that, $5 per artist, and only for unreleased music, seems a bit steep.
The days when most people were used to paying $15 or more for one CD are over.
Back in 2008, Wired co-founder Kevin Kelly came up with theconcept of 1,000 true fans.
Blake’s Vault might not be that, but it’s a move in the right direction.
