Prompt Cast
How Ernest Jackson's song "Inflation" gained popularity
TLDR Ernest Jackson strategically pitched his song to Spotify editors, resulting in over 700,000 streams and $1,142.35 in royalties. Despite facing legal and ethical dilemmas, the song "Inflation" gained traction on TikTok through user-generated videos and reached over 1.2 million streams on Spotify.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Planet Money released a song by Ernest Jackson, and through strategic pitching to Spotify editors, the song gained over 713,000 listens globally in just two months.
04:01
After months of waiting, the song generated over 700,000 streams, resulting in Ernest Jackson earning $1,142.35 in royalties.
08:35
Ernest Jackson's song royalties are calculated based on stream share, with the hope of getting the song played on radio stations in America to increase earnings.
12:26
Getting a song played on the radio involves reaching out to specific radio promoters and stations, but historically, paying for placement, known as paola, has been a controversial practice in the music industry.
15:59
Paying popular playlist curators to add a song for exposure is a common practice in the music industry, even though Spotify prohibits paying for guaranteed playlist placement.
19:43
A song called "Inflation" by Ernest Jackson is gaining traction on TikTok through user-generated videos, showcasing various creative interpretations and uses of the song.
24:15
Planet Money Records pays TikTokers to create videos featuring the song "Inflation" by Ernest Jackson, but faces legal and ethical dilemmas regarding disclosure of payment.
28:11
Planet Money Records releases merchandise and vinyl records for the song "Inflation" by Ernest Jackson, reaching over 1.2 million streams on Spotify, but the financial return for the artist remains modest.
