Overview
- In a dpa interview published July 31, 2026, the veteran German rock singer Inga Rumpf said “Spotify and co. make us artists sick” and that many musicians now earn little unless they get millions of plays.
- Rumpf contrasted older listening habits of intensive LP and CD play with today’s abundant downloads, saying that cheaper or free streams lead to less attentive listening and weaker fan support.
- She said she still has some fans who pay about one euro per download but warned that few artists can rely on that income stream today.
- Rumpf, who turns 80 on August 2, 2026, has a sold‑out concert at the Elbphilharmonie on September 13 and plans to release a live recording on CD at the end of the year.
- Her remarks mirror a broader industry pattern in which low per‑stream payouts and falling physical sales have reduced revenue for many performers and raised barriers for new artists trying to finance studio productions.