Spotify is pushing back against a now-viral video of Snoop Dogg claiming he was only paid $45,000 for one billion streams on the platform.
Sam Duboff, Spotify’s Head of Marketing and Policy, addressed the claim on Kato On The Track’s YouTube channel, clarifying that the platform actually pays between $3 million and $5 million for that amount of streams.
“If you have a billion streams on Spotify, we are gonna pay out 3-5 million dollars for it,” Duboff explained, acknowledging that he had seen Snoop’s video. “The range depends on factors like which countries the streams come from, premium vs. free listeners, and so on—that’s well documented.”
He also broke down how payouts are distributed: 80% goes to the recording side, while 20% goes to publishing.
Snoop Dogg’s Claim
In 2023, Snoop Dogg made the controversial claim while discussing his interest in NFTs, criticizing the lack of transparency in the music industry. “They just sent me some shit from Spotify, where I got a billion streams, right? My publisher hit me. I said, ‘Break that down, how much money is that?’ That shit wasn’t even $45,000.”
Snoop currently has four songs that have surpassed 1 billion streams:
- Still Dre (with Dr. Dre)
- Young, Wild & Free (with Wiz Khalifa & Bruno Mars)
- The Next Episode (with Dr. Dre)
- California Gurls (with Katy Perry)
Where Does the Money Go?
While Duboff admitted he wasn’t familiar with Snoop’s specific deal with Atlantic Records, the label behind Young, Wild & Free, he pointed out that multiple factors could impact his earnings.
“I don’t know Snoop’s terms… Was there an advance? Is someone recouping? What are the splits? Couldn’t tell you,” Duboff said. “On the publishing side, that’s around 20% of the payout, and that song has 13 songwriters.”
Among those receiving publishing royalties for Young, Wild & Free are Wiz Khalifa, Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, and Brody Brown. The song also samples YG and Ty Dolla $ign’s Toot It & Boot It (2010), which added several more credited songwriters, including Nye Lee, Marlon Borrow, and Marquise Newman. Additionally, it interpolates elements from Songs in the Wind by The Association and features a drum loop from Sneakin’ in the Back by Tom Scott & The L.A. Express—further expanding the list of credited composers.
Spotify’s Billion-Stream Club
As of 2024, 919 songs have surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, with:
- 17 tracks exceeding 3 billion streams
- 2 songs surpassing 4 billion streams
Spotify also highlighted in its Loud & Clear report that independent artists and labels earned over $5 billion in 2024, representing half of the platform’s total royalty payouts.
