1Streaming services have completely changed the way that musicians earn money from their recorded work.
2In the past, artists depended heavily on selling CDs and vinyl records in physical shops around the world.
3Today, a song earns only a tiny fraction of a penny each time someone plays it online.
4Because of this, many singers now rely on live concerts and merchandise to make a decent living.
5Playlists have become powerful, because one good placement can reach millions of new listeners overnight.
6Record companies now study detailed listening data before they decide which new artists to sign.
7Independent musicians can release their own songs without a label, which was once almost impossible.
8However, they must also promote themselves on social media, which takes considerable time and energy.
9Some fans now choose to support their favourite artists directly through monthly subscription websites online.
10The industry keeps changing, and nobody can predict exactly what the next decade will bring.
11What is certain is that listeners now expect every song to be available instantly, wherever they are.