Announcement, Is Beethoven worth eight times Mahler?

Both composers have left an indelible mark on the world of music, and their works continue to be celebrated and appreciated by people around the globe.

But in the world of music streaming where the pay-per-track method is commonly used, shorter tracks can accumulate more plays in a given time period than a longer classical composition. This means that the 2022 recording of Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations by Mitsuko Uchida (33 tracks in a little less than an hour) will be paid eight times more than the 2022 recording of Mahler’s 4th Symphony from François-Xavier Roth, which covers only 4 tracks in a similar time.

We have often read the arguments that streaming services that pay-per-track disadvantage classical music as these compositions tend to be longer in duration compared to other music genres such as pop, rock, and hip-hop. But, as we have just demonstrated, there’s also a wide variety of track lengths within the classical genre.

Is it just Mahler?

The issue of longer compositions is not limited to Mahler. Many classical compositions, from various periods and styles, have movements or sections that can be around 10 minutes or longer in duration.

For example, all four movements of Schubert’s Ninth Symphony are over ten minutes (even on the fastest recordings!), and much chamber music has similarly long movements. And in the contemporary classical world, composers such as John Adams and Steve Reich have created works that can last for an hour or more.

In addition, this issue is not limited to classical music. Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells has two tracks of 26 and over 23 minutes. Keith Jarrett's Paris Concert album's longest is 38:23 minutes. Even punk band Nofx’s The Decline consists of only an 18-minute track.

A solution: a pay-per-second model

At Presto Music, with our new streaming service, we have moved away from the pay-per-track model adopted by all the major streaming services and instead use a pay-per-second model. The decision to use a pay-per-second model was motivated by a desire to address this issue of the current streaming landscape where a longer piece would be worth less in revenue than a shorter pop, rock or even classical track.

How to fairly remunerate artists and composers

The pay-per-track model can make it difficult for classical musicians, composers and labels to earn enough revenue from streaming services.

To game the system, we have seen albums where longer tracks have been split into lots of shorter ones. This strategy can have negative consequences for both the listener experience and the artists themselves. One of the most significant drawbacks of track-splitting is that it can create a confusing and frustrating listening experience for users. It can also detract from the coherence and artistic vision of a work, as the individual tracks may not make sense without the context of the longer piece.

Furthermore, track-splitting can also have unintended consequences for the artists and labels who use this strategy. While it may lead to increased revenue in the short term, it can damage the reputation of the artist or label in the long run. Users may become frustrated with the confusing track-names and poor listening experience, and may be less likely to return to that artist's or label's music in the future. This can ultimately harm the artist's ability to build a loyal fanbase and earn sustainable revenue from their music.

The future of music recording

If major streaming services continue to pay artists and labels based purely on the number of tracks played, we’re worried this could have significant implications for the future of classical music. Without fair financial reward, it may become more difficult for artists and labels to justify the time, effort, and expense of recording larger works such as symphonies (which are already expensive due to the number of players involved).

Furthermore, if recording longer works becomes financially unfeasible, it could limit the artistic and creative possibilities for musicians and composers. Many classical works, as well as other genres, are structured around longer movements or sections, which allow for greater exploration of musical themes and ideas. If these longer works are no longer financially viable to record and distribute, it could limit the ability of musicians to express themselves fully and create new and innovative works.

Challenges and implications of payment calculations for streaming services

We feel it is essential that streaming services and other stakeholders in the music industry work to address the challenges faced by classical (and non-classical) music recordings in the digital age. This includes revising payment models to better account for the longer duration of works.

We need the other music streaming services to come on board to ensure a fair and viable future for artists and the whole music industry.

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