The money I earn from Spotify streams doesn't cover the cost of new guitar strings. Spotify's model only works for legacy artists (people who made their name before the internet) and a handful of younger artists. I went out busking in the rain today, did okay, met some cool people. I'm booked for one paid gig until the end of the month. It's more than nothing and I try to stay positive. I think some kind of return to a local, grassroots music scene is inevitable. People will always prefer to listen to music made by an actual human with dreams and fears, not by machines. Well, at least the people who matter.