Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on Spotify's $11B Artist Payout

Spotify paid $11B to music rights holders in 2025 but who actually gets the money?

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify break down what the Loud & Clear report really means for artists, managers, songwriters, and the wider music business.

They get into how Spotify royalties work, why payments go to rights holders first, what stream-share means, why “per-stream rates” are misleading, and how independent artists are participating in the growth of streaming.

They also discuss how streaming helped lower the barriers for DIY artists, why Spotify was built as a response to piracy, how global music is cutting through, and why catalog value has changed in the streaming era.

For artists, managers, and aspiring music executives, this is a clear look at how money moves through Spotify and why the headline number is only part of the story.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

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Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0EpX71F9JklAmZAEdXsRKA?si=877g60VXRImVmjV0j-ud6A

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Topics Covered:
00:00 Streaming Boom Stats
00:31 DIY Artist Breakthroughs
02:13 Mobile Streaming and Discovery
04:21 From Piracy to Streaming
05:41 Global Languages Breaking Through
09:19 Loud & Clear Payouts
12:10 Rights Holders Explained
15:58 Stream Share vs Per-Stream Rates
18:37 Artist Dilution Myth
20:43 Catalog Sales in the Streaming Era