Written evidence submitted by Findlay Napier

I am a singer songwriter and teaching artist based in Glasgow. Scotland. I tour across the UK and North America playing solo shows at small venues and festivals. I often provide support for acts like Eddi Reader on her UK tours playing large soft seater venues. I would be considered a mid- level career artist. I make enough money to own a car, pay a mortgage and go on holiday once a year.

I pay to record and release of my own music. The best way to explain the problem I face with streaming is like this. On an average month the total income that I make from streaming fluctuates between £14 and £25 total. (£168-£300/year). This income is generated by three albums and three EPs. At a concert I sell one CD for £12. I will usually sell five to ten albums a night when I am out gigging.

The budget for my next album is around £15000. I will pay all of that up front and recoup the money from sales at gigs and radio play. I will be expected by the music industry and fans to pay to upload my album to the streaming platforms. In order to recoup that album through streaming alone will take over 50 years.

My experience of selling albums after my shows is that many people believe that musicians are paid fairly for their work on the streaming platforms. That is not the case.

I am not asking for a ban on streaming. I am simply asking for fair compensation and better control of my music once it is online. I am asking that the government, the music industry and the general public recognise that the streaming services entire income is based on giving away for free the things musicians put time and money in to create.

Earlier this year I released an album without putting it on streaming platforms. That album has nearly recouped through physical sales and digital downloads. On 1st November the album will appear on Spotify and other streaming services. It will be interesting to see if there is any spike in physical sales or digital downloads after that date.