T'Pau frontwoman Carol Decker has frequently voiced strong criticism of the modern music streaming industry. She has expressed that platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have "decimated the income of musicians" by paying microscopic royalties, forcing veteran and new artists alike to rely almost entirely on live touring to make a living
Decker's Core Arguments Against Streaming
Destruction of the "Record Sale" Model: In her 1980s heyday, artists could earn a comfortable living directly from selling physical records and albums. Decker points out that streaming platforms now pay such a fraction of a penny per play that even massive, globally recognizable hits generate surprisingly small royalty checks
The "Final Nail": While she previously criticized illegal downloading, she has famously dubbed streaming the "final nail in the coffin" for musicians expecting to make money off recorded music
Shift to Live Touring: Because she and other artists can no longer sustain themselves on recorded royalties, Decker stresses that artists are now forced to hit the road. She frequently supplements her income by touring and playing 80s nostalgia festivals around the UK
Budget and Promotion Struggles: Decker has highlighted that while streaming and social media provide some creative freedom without the total control of old-school record labels, not having a major label budget makes getting new music promoted and heard incredibly difficult
Decker's Core Arguments Against Streaming
Destruction of the "Record Sale" Model: In her 1980s heyday, artists could earn a comfortable living directly from selling physical records and albums. Decker points out that streaming platforms now pay such a fraction of a penny per play that even massive, globally recognizable hits generate surprisingly small royalty checks
The "Final Nail": While she previously criticized illegal downloading, she has famously dubbed streaming the "final nail in the coffin" for musicians expecting to make money off recorded music
Shift to Live Touring: Because she and other artists can no longer sustain themselves on recorded royalties, Decker stresses that artists are now forced to hit the road. She frequently supplements her income by touring and playing 80s nostalgia festivals around the UK
Budget and Promotion Struggles: Decker has highlighted that while streaming and social media provide some creative freedom without the total control of old-school record labels, not having a major label budget makes getting new music promoted and heard incredibly difficult
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