THE BEAST

It's Worse Than You Think: Why New Artists Struggle to Break Through in the Streaming Era
Based on Rick Beato’s Video Breakdown

In a sobering and insightful video titled "It's Worse Than You Think: The TRUTH About Why New Artists Fail", music educator and YouTuber Rick Beato takes a hard look at the current state of the music industry—and the odds stacked against emerging artists today. Drawing from hard data and deep industry knowledge, Beato explains why the road to success in the digital age is not just difficult—it's increasingly rigged in favor of those who already made it.

The Surprising Age of Top Artists on Spotify

Beato opens the video by pointing out something few people consider when browsing today’s charts: the average age of Spotify’s most-streamed artists. He highlights Bruno Mars as a case study and then digs deeper into Spotify’s top 25 artists. The result? A surprisingly high average age of 36 years and 2 months. In a world that often glorifies youth culture, the dominance of older artists is both revealing and alarming.

This number stands in stark contrast to previous generations. Beato compares it to The Beatles, who were in their early to mid-20s during their peak. So, what’s changed? Why are today’s top stars not fresh-faced newcomers, but seasoned veterans?

Enter the Matthew Principle

At the core of Beato’s argument is the “Matthew principle,” a concept drawn from sociology that explains how success tends to compound. In other words: the rich get richer. Once an artist breaks through and builds a fanbase, algorithms, social proof, and industry infrastructure work in their favor to maintain and expand their audience.

According to Beato, artists who rose to prominence in the early 2000s benefited from a unique moment in music history—just before streaming took over and while record labels still had dominant gatekeeping power. These artists now sit at the top of algorithm-driven platforms like Spotify, where past success is rewarded exponentially.

The Visibility Trap of Streaming

Beato draws an effective parallel to YouTube’s social proof system, where videos with more views naturally attract even more attention. The same thing happens on Spotify. Songs with millions of plays are pushed to the top of playlists and search results, while new artists are often buried unless they go viral or get label support.

In effect, the streaming model favors the already-successful. It becomes increasingly difficult for new voices to cut through the noise, let alone build a sustainable career. It’s not that younger artists lack talent—it’s that they lack visibility.

What Can New Artists Do?

While the video paints a grim picture, Beato doesn’t end on a hopeless note. He emphasizes that success is still possible—but it requires more than just good music. Artists must become relentless learners, experimenters, and marketers. They need to master the platforms they use, understand their audience, and be willing to evolve constantly.

Beato closes with a reminder that experience and persistence matter. In an industry where algorithms reward familiarity and fanbases are built over time, the only real advantage left for new artists is grit.

Final Thoughts

Rick Beato’s analysis is a must-watch for anyone trying to navigate the modern music landscape. It challenges the romanticized idea of the breakout star and replaces it with a much-needed reality check: the system is built to favor those who already made it—but with hard work, creativity, and persistence, new voices can still find a way through.