INTHEBLACK July 2026 - Magazine - Page 20
F E AT U R E
Streaming dominates revenue
but pays poorly, forcing
musicians to be entrepreneurs
who own IP, diversify income
and build relationships directly
with their fans.
More artists are adopting
an entrepreneurial and
team-based approach that
ecompasses accountants,
lawyers, music distributors
and marketing specialists.
Accountants can help
by providing guidance on
budgets, profitability and
tax advocacy, so musicians
can focus on delivering the
“fan experience”.
The business
of music
In the face of challenges from
low-paying digital streaming
platforms and the rise of
AI-generated music,
entrepreneurial musicians
are fighting back to increase
their visibility and prospects
of success — and accountants
can play a key role.
Words Cameron Cooper
PAUL WILTSHIRE’S ABILITY TO KEEP
reinventing himself offers a blueprint for
artists and innovators who are navigating
a fast-changing music industry.
Keyboardist, songwriter, record producer,
tech entrepreneur — he has gone from
writing on number one albums for Australian
stars such as Vanessa Amorosi and
Delta Goodrem to founding Songtradr,
a global music licensing and rights
management platform.
Now based in Los Angeles, he wants
to help democratise the music industry
as artists navigate the shift from traditional
20 INTHEBLACK July 2026
record-label sales structures to modern
models featuring independent artist
monetisation, direct-to-consumer platforms
and subscription-based streaming.
Wiltshire launched Songtradr in 2016 after
spotting a gap in the market. Traditionally,
placing a song in most media formats requires
approvals from multiple rights holders, often
causing delays and lost royalties. Songtradr
simplifies this process, allowing rights
owners to upload and manage their music
on one platform.
“Songtradr began partly out of my
frustration with making music and having
to travel around the world to try and place
it in film, television and advertisements,”
he says. “I felt like this was an obvious way
to connect the two sides.”
Wiltshire believes the sync-licensing
model helps streamline music rights in
a digital world and puts more money back
in the pockets of artists.
“We live in a highly commoditised
environment where all the music that has ever
been released is available for A$15 [via some
subscription platforms]. So, our role is to
increase the value of that, and protect its value.”
THE STREAMING CONUNDRUM
The fact that file-sharing and digital
streaming has transformed the music industry
is old news.
LISTEN
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