Song

Starboy

The Weeknd · Starboy · 2016

high confidence

artist-side split is modeled + gross track revenue is separated. Why?

The headline number is the modeled artist-side annual share for this recording when split data exists.

Modeled artist-side range $660K-$2.1M/year
Gross track revenue $1.6M-$4.9M/year
Ownership context Included below
Platform signals Included below
Last updated May 26, 2026
Starboy by The Weeknd

Artwork shown via Apple Music. Open the source track

Short Answer

How much money does Starboy make?

Starboy by The Weeknd is modeled at $660K-$2.1M/year per year on the artist side, with gross track revenue and ownership context separated below.

Takeaway: Starboy is one of the stronger modeled catalog earners here because replay demand and ownership context both support a durable annual range.

This song combines direct emotion with a strong melodic center, making it easy to revisit and commercially durable.

Did You Know?

  • Currently ranks around the top 4% of tracked songs by modeled artist-side earnings
  • Released in 2016 and still shows earnings power roughly 10 years later
  • Ranks #2 among 3 tracked songs for The Weeknd
  • 18 tracks on the linked album page
  • Apple Music preview available
  • high confidence estimate

Why It Still Works

  • Streaming volume remains the largest recurring source of modeled revenue.
  • The Weeknd and Daft Punk association keeps the song useful across pop, R&B, and electronic-adjacent playlists.
  • Catalog replay and brand-like title recognition support long-tail listener demand.

Starboy sits in the top 4% of tracked songs on the site by modeled artist-side earnings.

How It Compares

Starboy is compared against nearby songs in the catalog based on artist overlap, era, genre, and modeled earnings range.

Song Artist Estimated yearly midpoint
Starboy
current page
The Weeknd $1,380,000
Save Your Tears
same artist · same genre
The Weeknd $1,255,000
Blinding Lights
same artist · same genre
The Weeknd $2,200,000
Work
same genre · same era
Rihanna $950,000

Revenue Breakdown

Gross track revenue $1.6M-$4.9M/year
100% of the lead revenue lane
Artist-side share $660K-$2.1M/year
42% of the lead revenue lane
Label master share $320K-$1M/year
58% of the lead revenue lane

Bars reflect modeled annual midpoint ranges, not audited royalty statements.

Platform Signals

Public platform indicators, not complete streaming totals. Spotify exposes popularity, while YouTube exposes public video views.

Spotify Open

Popularity score not checked yet.

YouTube Open

Official video configured; view count will appear after the API refresh runs.

Platform metrics are ready for refresh once API keys are configured.

Listen

Official Apple Music preview.

More Questions About Starboy

How much did Starboy make in total?

Starboy is currently modeled at Lifetime value depends on how long Starboy keeps playlist, search, and catalog demand beyond the current annual modeled range. in lifetime earnings, based on the annual range and long-tail replay assumptions shown on this page.

How much does Starboy make per stream?

Starboy does not have a single public per-stream rate because payouts vary by platform, territory, subscription tier, and contract structure. The estimate here is modeled from aggregate streaming, licensing, and catalog behavior instead.

Who owns Starboy?

This is an inferred gross-to-net range based on current streaming and catalog behavior, not a public royalty statement.

Sources and References

These points explain the public context used to frame this page. They support a directional model, not an audited royalty statement.

Published by How Much Music using the site methodology. If a source or estimate needs correction, use the contact page.

Evidence used

  • Internal song data separates gross track revenue ($1.6M-$4.9M/year) from modeled artist-side share ($660K-$2.1M/year).
  • Publishing and songwriter lanes are shown separately where available: publishing $230K-$720K/year; songwriter $230K-$720K/year.
  • Ownership fields on this page include master context, publishing context, catalog-sale status.
  • Catalog metadata links the recording to The Weeknd, Starboy, 2016.
  • Configured Spotify or YouTube identifiers are used as public platform context when available.

Model notes

  • Ownership note: This is an inferred gross-to-net range based on current streaming and catalog behavior, not a public royalty statement.
  • Public platform signals are included where Spotify or YouTube identifiers are configured.

Methodology limits

  • The estimate is a modeled annual range, not a public royalty statement.
  • Gross track revenue, artist-side share, label share, publishing, and songwriter lanes are separated only where the page has structured split data.
  • Platform, certification, and listening links are context signals; they are not converted directly into royalty totals.
  • Per-stream payouts vary by platform, territory, subscription tier, and rights contract, so this page does not claim one universal song rate.
Show ownership and assumptions

This is an inferred gross-to-net range based on current streaming and catalog behavior, not a public royalty statement.

Supporting Revenue Context

Estimated gross track revenue$1.6M-$4.9M/year
Estimated artist-side cut$660K-$2.1M/year
Estimated label master share$320K-$1M/year
Estimated publishing share$230K-$720K/year
Estimated songwriter share$230K-$720K/year
MastersMix of label-controlled masters and meaningful artist-side royalty participation
PublishingPublishing appears shared across creators, producers, and publishers
Catalog sale statusNo song-specific catalog sale adjustment is confirmed in this estimate

Assumptions: Estimate infers current annual earnings from large-scale streaming, catalog replay value, and typical superstar-era rights participation.

Notes: This is an inferred gross-to-net range based on current streaming and catalog behavior, not a public royalty statement.

Split-aware estimate

The headline number is the modeled artist-side annual share for this recording when split data exists.

  • Gross track revenue is separated from artist-side take-home where the page has enough split context.
  • Ownership notes on masters or publishing are included and should be read alongside the revenue number.
  • All figures are conservative annual modeled ranges based on streaming behavior, cultural replay value, sync potential, and available ownership information, not public royalty statements.

Read the full site methodology.

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