It’s strange to think anyone born after 1995 will have probably never experienced a proper music video channel, or at least one that didn’t abandon its true fans for cheaper production, easier syndication and boy bands. It’s something we feel is missing in the world today. It’s no secret that streaming services don’t pay artists well, but in early 2020 as the virus ballooned and concerts were cancelled, we were able to look closer at the reality of the situation. As the global lockdown hit, artists lost the ability to make money touring which also cut merch sales dramatically for most bands.

The Founder and CEO of Spotify Daniel Ek responded to criticisms of his payouts: 

“You can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough. The artists today that are making it realise that it’s about creating a continuous engagement with their fans. It is about putting the work in, about the storytelling around the album, and about keeping a continuous dialogue with your fans.”

If an artist or band is going to spend time promoting themselves on a music platform it better be worth more than likes. It seems promoting yourself on a streaming service isn’t promoting yourself, it’s promoting the streaming service. The goal of The Mouth is for artists to earn money and gain global exposure while showing people that there is some amazing art being made out in the world. 

In Daniel Ek’s mind, artists have become easily exploited labor. Spotify pays $0.003 cents per stream. Mid-pandemic while our jobs were indefinitely on hold, he put a £1.8bn bid to buy London’s Arsenal Football Club, which he has since over £300m. We have differing views on the value of art and the privacy of artists. Many artists don’t want to, or are unable to afford to jump through these established hoops for publicity, when the inequality exists between what they are paid versus what the companies keep. We wouldn’t have to sell our dignity if we could make as much money off of streaming services as they are making off of us.

We feel a music platform and the artists on the music platform can have mutually beneficial relationships- where artists can be paid for their work. If an artist or band is going to spend time promoting themselves on a music platform it better be worth more than likes. It seems promoting yourself on a streaming service isn’t promoting yourself, it’s promoting the streaming service. The goal of The Mouth is for artists to earn money and gain global exposure while  showing people that there is some amazing art being made out in the world.

Mick Boggis, BAFTA winner and co-owner of The Mouth, is democratizing Dolby Atmos immersive and binaural sound by upmixing all tracks to the Dolby Atmos immersive experience. Having mixed the film 12 Monkeys (Gilliam, 1995), the first film mixed in Dolby Digital Surround. Mick is using his expertise in sound to break the glass ceiling of immersive technology by bringing it to independent artists. The Mouth TV isn’t a corporate entity, it’s an art project to promote art. We promote independent artists and labels on the channel, meaning no artists from any major label or their subsidiaries. 

Visit www.themouth.tv to submit a video or subscribe.

Published: In Print Issue Nº 09—2021
Words: The Mouth
Photography © Robin Laananen