World Music Views global head, Donovan JR Watkis, has responded to claims that streaming platforms are exploiting artists.
In a recent interview, Buju Banton accused streaming services of exploitation, arguing that “if you don’t hold it, you don’t own it.”
However, speaking on Road To Success during Easy Skankin with Kshema Francis on Thursday, JR Watkis explained that artists who truly benefit from streaming are often the independent ones—citing Vybz Kartel as an example.
He further pointed to Buju Banton, Sean Paul, and Shaggy, noting that because they were signed to major labels, they don’t directly receive the gross earnings from streaming platforms.
JR also pointed out that more new artists have achieved gold and silver certifications in just the last five years, including names like Skillibeng and Shenseea.
He highlighted that Spotify reportedly pays between $3 million and $5 million per billion streams to rights holders (record labels and publishers).
As the author of Reggae By The Numbers, JR Watkis, through World Music Views focus on tracking chart data, record sales, and streaming numbers to measure success in music.
