Streaming has long been the bane for smaller artists due to the low revenue generated, when compared to the sale of physical CDs or even downloads, but for musicians at the top of the pile, with multiple global hits, streaming can generate millions. Here, we look at streaming's five biggest money makers of 2019 thus far.

1. ARIANA GRANDE
Total label streaming revenue YTD: $12.08M
Total audio and video on-demand streams YTD: 2.83B

2. DRAKE
Total label streaming revenue YTD: $11.29M
Total audio and video on-demand streams YTD: 2.58B

3. POST MALONE
Total label streaming revenue YTD: $10.90M
Total audio and video on-demand streams YTD: 2.63B

4. JUICE WRLD
Total label streaming revenue YTD: $8.38M
Total audio and video on-demand streams YTD: 1.92B

5. BILLIE EILISH
Total label streaming revenue YTD: $7.93M
Total audio and video on-demand streams YTD: 1.89B

In this chart, both the audio and the video streams are combined, although there’s far more money generated via audio streams. It's also worth noting that this only covers the sound recording royalty that the record label collects and doesn’t include publishing.

These estimates were made by Billboard and the information dates to April 18. For these artists, 2019 is just getting started...

ANALYSIS

As most people will know, the revenue that an artist generates does not equal the money that they actually take home in royalties.

So how much, then, do the artists actually get?

Much of this depends on the deal they have carved out with their record label. Royalties tend to run from 10% to 15%. However, depending in particular on the stage in their career-development that they signed their deals, bigger-name artists - like some of those mentioned here - tend to get a higher royalty. It's highly likely that Ariana Granda could be on a rate of 20%, or thereabouts.

There are also various deductions that will be made by the record company, depending on the fine print on each artist's record contract. Classically, artists tended to pay for the packaging on CDs and albums, unless they were in a strong enough position to force the record company’s hand on that issue. The cost of making videos and other forms of promo is also often pushed across the dividing line to the artists side. Doubtless there are other ‘packaging’ charges that are levied in relation to streaming.

These uncertainties make it difficult to give an accurate figure for what an artist has actually earned and what the pay-through is from labels. However, the likelihood is that the artists will take home between 10 and 20%.