Where the data comes from
Every estimate in the simulator is built on real data. These are the three datasets powering the income calculations.
Streaming CPM rates
CPM (cost per thousand streams) by artist tier and platform. These rates determine how much an artist earns per 1,000 plays in the simulator.
What this shows: Even at the highest tier, streaming payouts remain extremely low — reinforcing that scale is required to generate meaningful income.
| Tier | Spotify CPM | YouTube CPM | Instagram CPM | TikTok CPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Merch margins
Retail price, production cost, and profit per unit for each merch item. Margin is calculated as profit divided by retail price.
What this shows: Vinyl and hoodies carry the strongest margins — physical products with high perceived value outperform lower-cost items on a per-unit basis.
| Item | Retail price | Production cost | Profit per unit | Margin % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Live venue benchmarks
Venue capacity and ticket price benchmarks used to estimate live performance income. Artist cut is set in the simulator — default is 15%.
What this shows: Income potential scales dramatically with venue size — but so does the barrier to entry. Small clubs are accessible; arenas require an established fanbase.
| Venue type | Capacity | Ticket price | Est. gross per show | Est. artist take (15%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Club | 200 | $30 | $6,000 | $900 |
| Mid Venue | 700 | $60 | $42,000 | $6,300 |
| Large Venue | 3,000 | $90 | $270,000 | $40,500 |
| Arena | 10,000 | $120 | $1,200,000 | $180,000 |