TheFlow Launches a Creator-Owned Music and Social Media Ecosystem Where Musicians Can Now Make a Living Making Music

On TheFlow 3,608 Backstage Pass subscribers = $100,000 per year

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TheFlow is proud to announce its creator-owned ecosystem for music and social media - where musicians can now make a living making music.

"We believe we've solved the most urgent problem facing musicians," said Mike Hanuschik, Founder of TheFlow. "On TheFlow, you only need 3,608 dedicated fans subscribing to your Backstage Pass to make over $100,000 per year. And that's just one of three revenue streams. You don't need millions of people on the platform. Just bring your community and you can start building a meaningful living."

Board member Micah Nelson (Particlekid), who leads TheFlow's Artist Guild, emphasized: "TheFlow is the platform I've been waiting for since music streaming and social media took over. It's such a simple, obvious model that actually provides a functional ecosystem for creative people, putting us fully in charge of our own livelihoods for the first time in history."

TheFlow can be thought of as a combination of Instagram, Spotify, Bandcamp, and Patreon, but built with cooperative principles. The artists own it so they get paid first, the social media is healthy, and everything works together seamlessly. Up until now, discovery happened on TikTok, streaming on Spotify and buying on Bandcamp - every transaction cost the artist. Now, on TheFlow, discovery, streaming and support happen all in one place. When discovery and streaming were separated, 50-80% of potential value was lost. TheFlow captures that value for the artist.

One Ecosystem, Three Revenue Streams For Creators to Earn

1. Paid Attention Streaming - Subscribers' fees go directly to the artists they actually listen to based on listening time. If someone listens to your music 50% of the time, you get 50% of their subscription. At the end of every month, subscribers see how much money went to each musician they listened to.
2. Direct Downloads - Sell music directly to fans with complete pricing control. "Sell before you stream" lets artists offer early download-only releases.
3. Backstage Pass Subscriptions - Fans subscribe directly to artists for exclusive content, early releases, and authentic connection. Artists set their own pricing and benefits.

Human Creativity First

TheFlow is fully committed to authentic human creativity. There are no ads, no bots, no AI-generated music. TheFlow will not sell your data. These protections are enshrined in the cooperative's bylaws.

For those of us who are listeners, TheFlow offers healthy social media, lossless audio quality, direct artist support, ad-free experience, and transparent impact showing exactly how our listening supports artists.

Cooperative Ownership

As a California cooperative corporation, TheFlow is owned and collectively governed by its creator-members through one-member-one-vote principles. Creators aren't just users, they own the company itself.

Micah Nelson looks at this venture through the lens of his FarmAid roots where he's been playing music and advocating for independent farmers with his father Willie and brother Lukas every year. "The Flow is permaculture for the digital space... the regenerative, creative ecosystem that we all deserve."

"This is about creating an ecosystem for human creativity and connection," said Hanuschik. "We are all creators, and this gives us a space to build something beautiful together. When artists thrive, we all thrive." Over the coming weeks TheFlow will reveal more details leading up to an invite-only launch in early November 2025.

Learn more at theflow.com.

The future is ours to create.

About The Flow Cooperative

The Flow Cooperative, Inc. is a California cooperative corporation building creator-owned digital infrastructure where artists thrive through fair compensation, authentic community, and collective governance. TheFlow is being built by founder Mike Hanuschik, who plays and writes music and has led the design of surgical robots and automated preventive health machines. Micah Nelson creates art, music, and films as Particlekid and plays guitar with Neil Young. Micah serves on TheFlow's board as the representative for the Artist Guild, ensuring it works for professional musicians.

Contact:
Mike Hanuschik, Founder
The Flow Cooperative, Inc.
[email protected]
4085944181
theflow.com

SOURCE The Flow Cooperative, Inc.