The ‘Beats vs. Feet’ Debate
The Lily Allen ‘Beats vs Feet’ debate has been making waves across social media and industry press. Setting aside her claim that she earns more from sharing pictures of her feet on OnlyFans than she does from streams of her music (without knowing the specific terms of her record deal, advances, or recoupment status, we can only speculate), one particular line in her response to Billboard’s breakdown of her Spotify income really stands out:
“this is incredibly misleading, but i’m not smart enough to explain how i make a tiny percentage of what is quoted here”
A Troubling Lack of Transparency
This statement reveals a deeper, fundamental issue in the music industry: a troubling lack of transparency or understanding around how artists’ earnings are calculated. This opacity not only damages trust, but also perpetuates a sense of powerlessness among artists. Many feel that the systems underpinning their careers are too complex to understand, and there’s a scarcity of reliable information to help them understand the basics of how their income is generated.
Artists as CEOs: A Misguided Analogy?
Artists are often encouraged to think of themselves as “CEOs of their own business”, supposedly in control of their destiny. But how many CEOs in other industries operate with so little clarity about how their revenue is generated, calculated and distributed? How many lack the necessary resources to educate themselves about their own business model? It’s unthinkable elsewhere, yet common in music.
How Songpact is Redefining Transparency
At Songpact, we’re working to change this narrative. We believe that music professionals shouldn’t have to guess how the mechanics of the industry operate or resign themselves to feeling “not smart enough” to understand it. Artists deserve clear, easy-to-understand information about their earnings, rights, and contracts. Our mission is to empower them by demystifying music law and contracts, making them transparent and accessible to all.
The Lily Allen debate underscores a broader issue: the urgent need for greater clarity and fairness in the music business. The shift towards transparency is long overdue, and it’s a shift we at Songpact are committed to leading.
As we strive to make the industry more accessible and equitable, we invite artists, songwriters, managers, and all other music professionals to join us in building a more informed, transparent, and sustainable future for creators.