Creator Research

How long have you been releasing music or creative work publicly?

Which best describes where you are right now in your career?

About how many people actively follow or support your work? A rough estimate across all platforms.

In the last 12 months, which of the following brought you income? Select all that apply.

Streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) Physical Sales (Vinyl, CDs, Merch) Digital Sales (Bandcamp, iTunes) Live Performance / Touring Fan Subscriptions (Patreon, etc.) Sync Licensing / Publishing Other

Which source brought you the most money overall?

Which source felt the most dependable?

Which source felt the least dependable?

Roughly what portion of your income came from streaming?

Which activity takes the most time and energy from you?

Which activity gives you the best return for the effort you put in?

Which activity feels the most out of balance — a lot of work with little payoff?

Have you experienced audience or engagement growth without income growth?

Yes, frequently Sometimes No, they usually grow together

Which matters more to you right now?

Reaching as many people as possible Having fewer supporters who support you more deeply Both, depending on context

How strongly do you feel about that choice?

If deeper support matters to you, what would meaningful support look like?

What’s the most money you’ve earned from one fan in a year? Rough estimate is fine.

How did that fan support you?

About how many fans like that do you realistically have?

If nothing changes about how creators earn money, what do you think happens for you in the next 3–5 years?

How stressful is income uncertainty for you?

Not stressful Manageable Very stressful Burnout / Quitting level

Has money pressure ever changed how you create or release work?

In your view, what should creators be rewarded for?

What would make releasing new work feel exciting again instead of exhausting?

Would you be open to a short follow-up conversation?

Yes No

Creator Questionnaire