"Spotify Debunks Get-Rich-Quick 30-Second Hack"
Spotify's CEO, Daniel Ek, has denied claims that users can manipulate the platform's royalty payment structure by repeatedly listening to their own 30-second track to earn monthly royalties. Finance analysts at JP Morgan had suggested that users could make $1,200 a month by listening to their song on repeat, 24 hours a day. Ek clarified that Spotify's royalty system does not work that way. Concerns have been raised about artificial streaming and the potential manipulation of royalties, with estimates suggesting that up to 10% of all streams are fake. Universal Music Group and Deezer's recent announcement of a music streaming model aimed at generating bigger royalties for artists may force platforms like Spotify to adjust their own models.