In this lesson you will learn: Gross vs net vs per-stream effective rate. Territory and tier columns that explain swings month to month. Spotting fraud spikes, duplicates, and missing periods. When to open a ticket vs wait for the next accounting cycle.
Statements bundle streams by territory, tier, subscription type, and product. The skill is knowing **which lines move money** vs adjustments, taxes withheld, or recoupment. You don’t need accounting training—you need a monthly scan that catches problems early.
Gross vs net and the explicit fee or commission line from your distributor.. Effective per-stream rate trends (big drops may be mix shift, not theft).. Sudden territory spikes—verify with analytics before celebrating or panicking.. Duplicate ISRC lines or missing periods: reconcile against your release calendar.
Export CSV when available; keep a rolling 12-month sheet per project.. Note large marketing spends next to revenue so you judge ROI honestly.
IFPI and national bodies (RIAA, BPI, BVMI) publish recorded-music revenue trends; streaming dominates but growth rates vary by region.. Per-stream payouts are not statutory—they emerge from pools, territory, tier, and label/distributor deals.. Fraud detection: MERLIN and DSP coalitions share signals; artificial streaming is an industry enforcement priority.