Other restrictions, such as a lack of VODs (videos-on-demand/replays) or other promotional tools like clips, are factors DJs must consider. Many artists are no longer using the VOD service to avoid potential strikes, but for some it’s another way to attract fans who can’t watch live. Twitch has confirmed that VODs are not covered by the existing licensing agreement, but the company says it is exploring other promotional tools. DJs who also host non-music streams are simply being told to run dual accounts with only one enrolled in the program.
Despite these drawbacks, all of the DJs WIRED spoke to agreed that operating in a copyright gray area isn’t good for anyone. Most also understood that Twitch, which is owned by Amazon, has obligations to rights holders. Clancy suggested as much in a blog entry “It’s critical that DJs understand that the status quo on Twitch was not sustainable,” he wrote, “and that any viable future for the community required us to find a solution.”
Solutions are what Twitch seems to need most of these days. The company, as you may have heard, is… Not making moneyUser growth appears to have stagnated, while revenue growth has slowed, according to recently reviewed documents. by the Wall Street JournalIn January, it announced it would lay off 500 employees (about a third of total staff), a move that followed a purge of More than 400 people in March of last year.
According to Twitch, there are currently “Tens of thousands” of DJs on the platform. This means that, at best, DJs currently make up about 1 percent of the Active transmitters—So attracting more people to the platform is probably not a panacea. But it is a growing area, driven in large part by a wave of artists who joined during the pandemic, and one that the company clearly sees as worth investing in.
In terms of competition, Twitch doesn’t face much competition. Harris says he tried Mixcloud, but felt there was a lot of “bot” activity on streams and the revenue split wasn’t favorable. TikTok and most other major social media platforms suffer from at least some combination of takedowns and demonetization for playing unlicensed songs. Kick, a direct rival to Twitch, offers a much more favorable revenue split (95 percent goes to the artist), but if Twitch can’t make money off of most of it, questions arise about whether that ratio is sustainable.
DJs, for their part, seem to welcome Twitch’s commitment to them, and most of their concerns are directly proportional to their investment in the platform thus far.
“I don’t have much to lose, to be honest, so I’m just seeing where it takes me,” Harris says.
“Twitch is my main source of income,” he says Colawaya DJ who streams about 35 hours a week. “The DJ offering on Twitch has grown massively, so the likelihood of new DJs streaming full-time is very unlikely.” She added that she believed the program was still a step in the right direction and that she would sign up.
As for East, he says, “I plan to jump on board as soon as it’s available, just to be in the game and get a feel for what’s going on.”
“If I’m the guinea pig at that point, I’ll be,” East adds. “I take the knocks and knocks and look forward to moving forward. My journey on Twitch has been amazing. It’s the community that really makes it.”
Ultimately, Twitch has the best chance of making this work, if DJs can tolerate the inconveniences that come with being legitimate. As the beleaguered music industry digs into the pockets of the people who promote its artists, Twitch seems as well positioned as any other platform to offer a solution.