Spotify paid $10 billion to the music industry last year, with $4.5 billion to publishers across 2023-24. So why are songwriters still struggling?

Spotify on Wednesday released further details about its record $10 billion US in royalties in 2024 in its Loud & Clear report. The report comes amid the ongoing debate about how much money artists and songwriters actually receive in royalties and whether it is actually fair.

The music-streaming giant has long been the target of criticism from artists about paltry payments, but said it doled out record royalties last year.