How We Calculate Earnings

Rates last reviewed: October 2026, see note below on why these change.

The Two Data Tiers

Every platform on an artist page is labeled Measured or Modeled, so you know how the figure was obtained

We use publicly available streaming data to estimate how much an artist's music may have generated across major streaming platforms.

These figures are estimates, not official royalty statements. Streaming platforms do not pay a fixed amount for every stream and actual revenue can vary depending on the platform, audience location, rights ownership and other factors.

Our methodology is designed to provide a useful estimate while being transparent about what we know, what we estimate and where limitations exist.

Measured vs Modeled

• Measured

  The estimate is based on stream data we can directly see or calculate.

• Modeled

  We don't have direct stream data for that platform, so we use the artist's Spotify data to model the figure.

What Data We Use

We currently track data from Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Audiomack and Boomplay. Each platform is handled differently depending on the amount of public data available.

• Spotify

  We use streams from songs where the artist is a lead or featured artist, with plans to focus only on lead artist streams for a more accurate measure of their performance.

• Apple Music

  Apple Music does not publicly disclose artist stream data, so the figures we use are Modeled estimates rather than directly measured figures.

• YouTube

  For YouTube, we use views from an artist's official channel, focusing on long-form content, which accounts for most of the artist's revenue from the platform.

• Audiomack

  We use the play count displayed on an artist's Audiomack account or album page to estimate their earnings.

• Boomplay

  Like Audiomack, Boomplay reveals the listening data on every artist or album page, which we use to calculate their earnings.

Platform Rates

There is no universal streaming rate. The amount an artist earns per stream depends on factors such as the listener's country, revenue model and rights arrangement behind the music.

Payout rates also vary, meaning the same number of streams generates different amounts of revenue across platforms.

Why Audience Location Matters

Where an artist's listeners are located can have a significant effect on the value of their streams.

An artist with a large international audience may generate more revenue from the same number of streams than an artist whose audience is mainly in Nigeria.

We take audience location into account when estimating earnings, particularly for artists with significant audiences across different regions.

Label and Distributor Deductions

The estimated revenue generated by an artist's streams is not necessarily the amount the artist personally takes home.

Streaming revenue can be shared between artists, record labels, distributors, songwriters, publishers, producers and other rights holders.

We do not have access to private contracts or royalty agreements between artists and their business partners. As a result, our figures should not be interpreted as an artist's personal take-home income.

When Was the Data Updated?

Every artist page shows when its data was last synced or updated. We update every artist at least once a month, while trending and top artists may be updated more frequently.

Because the platforms are updated independently, the latest data for each platform may not always come from the exact same date.

Why the Numbers Change

An artist's or album's estimated figures may change as new streams or views are recorded, platform data is updated, exchange rates fluctuate or we revise our assumptions.

The figures displayed on each artist or album page represent estimates based on the information available at the time of the latest update.

Currency Conversion

Naira figures are converted from a live USD exchange rate and it is refreshed daily so the figures remain as accurate as possible.

This means the naira figure can change even when the underlying streaming estimate has not changed.