The current average per-stream rate for artists across Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer is around £0.004, but there are several streaming startups offering more generous propositions. Guardian presents three of them: pay-as-you-go platform SonStream charges listeners around 3.3p per play of a track, with 2.5p going directly to the rights holder; Berlin-based co-operative Resonate is pioneering a “stream-to-own” model - it charges listeners for the first nine plays of one song, the cost amounting to the average price of a download, and after that, users own the track and have unlimited plays; Audius in San Francisco is developing a system that allows artists to set a per-stream rate or monthly subscription - 10% would go to the Audius network, and the rights holder would keep the rest.

God is in the TV presents two viable and fairer alternative platforms to Spotify - Sonstream and Resonate. Sonstream is streaming start-up offering an alternative user-centric and musician focused model with a basic set up and a pretty simple site. Resonate is a streaming service cooperative owned by the people that use it – musicians, indie labels, fans and developers.

Complex did a great job of highlighting seven companies and apps that are empowering both musicians and fans to create and connect in time of quarantine. So, what does everybody need? Qello - founded in 2010, grown into an impressive hub of live music since. Stationhead - a social radio, and music streaming app. Splice - offers well organized, diverse sample libraries. Songfluencer - works directly with artists and labels to disseminate music to influencers on Instagram and TikTok. LÜM - allows fans to find artists early, listen to them on the app, provide direct support through virtual gifting, and be acknowledged for their finds. Resonate streaming service launched in 2015, seeks to put artists and human curation back at the forefront of music. Tracklib - offers pre-cleared samples at a wide-range of prices.