let’s estimate maximum revenue for an independent artist on Vevo/YouTube with 1 million views and no label.

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1. Revenue calculation (post-YouTube cut)

• YouTube/Vevo takes ~45% of ad revenue.

• Artist keeps 55% (minus tiny distributor fee, which we’ll ignore for simplicity).

CPM	Total Revenue	YouTube/Vevo Cut (45%)	Artist Receives (max, no label)
$2	$2,000	$900	$1,100
$5	$5,000	$2,250	$2,750
$7	$7,000	$3,150	$3,850
$10	$10,000	$4,500	$5,500
$15	$15,000	$6,750	$8,250
$25	$25,000	$11,250	$13,750

The range is huge because CPM varies by region, season, and ad types.
In North America, higher CPMs ($10–$25) are achievable if viewers are in premium markets and ads are well-targeted.