For nearly as long as Spotify has existed, musicians have expressed concerns regarding the platform’s artist compensation rates. Earning a sustainable income as a musician is already a significant challenge for most who pursue it, and the recent, prolonged pandemic has made this even more difficult for many.

This week, the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) initiated a campaign to draw attention to issues surrounding Spotify’s compensation model. The campaign includes specific demands, with a primary request being a payment rate of one cent per stream. The Justice at Spotify movement has established a dedicated website and petition for artists to support.

“Given the precarious state of the live music industry due to the coronavirus pandemic, musicians are now more dependent on income from streaming services than ever before,” the organization states. “We are urging Spotify to provide increased royalty payments, greater transparency in their operations, and to cease opposing artists’ interests.”

Damon Krukowski, a representative of the organization, informed TechCrunch that the response from artists has been overwhelmingly favorable. However, reactions within the music industry have been more mixed.

“The response to our Justice at Spotify campaign from musicians has been swift and encouraging—we are nearing 10,000 artist signatures within the first 48 hours,” Krukowski explains. “Conversely, the reaction from certain industry segments has been predictably dismissive: ‘You are simply musicians and lack business understanding,’ is the core sentiment. To this, I would respond: The very issue we are addressing is that musicians have been excluded from the discussion! We consistently receive payment last and are consulted least—despite the fact that our creative work forms the foundation of the entire streaming business.”

The growing number of signatories includes several well-known artists, particularly those in the independent music scene who have been significantly impacted by evolving industry models and the current restrictions.

Daniel Ek, Spotify’s CEO, sparked considerable controversy in July with remarks that appeared insensitive regarding artist compensation, especially as live performances have largely ceased during the pandemic. He stated to Music Ally, “Certain artists who previously succeeded may not thrive in this evolving environment,” suggesting that releasing music only every three to four years is no longer sufficient.

Simultaneously, Spotify has invested substantial funds in content and acquisitions of startups to expand its presence in the podcasting sector. This includes the $100 million acquisition of The Joe Rogan Experience, which has continued to generate public debate and, according to reports, internal dissent among Spotify employees.

We have contacted Spotify for a statement and will provide an update once we receive a response. Krukowski indicates that the organization’s subsequent actions will largely depend on Spotify’s reaction and the desires of its membership. “We have plans for further campaign steps, but these will be determined by how both our fellow musicians and Spotify respond,” he says.