A completely silent song on Spotify called "Sleepify" earned a band over $20,000 in royalties before being removed. Fans played it on repeat overnight while sleeping to support the band Vulfpeck, who used the money to fund a free tour.
The Band That Made $20,000 From Complete Silence
In 2014, funk band Vulfpeck pulled off one of the most creative stunts in music streaming history. They released an album called "Sleepify" consisting entirely of silent tracks—each about 30 seconds long, the minimum length to earn royalties on Spotify.
The Silent Money Machine
The band asked fans to play the album on repeat while they slept, with the volume turned down. Since Spotify pays artists per stream, each silent play counted as real money. Within months, the album had been streamed over 5 million times.
At roughly $0.004 per stream, Vulfpeck earned approximately $20,000 from pure silence. The band announced they would use every penny to fund a completely free tour for their fans.
Spotify Says No
Spotify eventually removed the album, citing violations of their content policy. The streaming service was not amused by the creative exploitation of their payment system. But by then, the damage (or genius, depending on your perspective) was done.
Vulfpeck followed through on their promise, playing free shows across the United States. Fans who had participated in the overnight streaming marathon got to see their favorite band live—funded entirely by the sound of nothing.
A New Kind of Album
The stunt raised real questions about how streaming economics work. If silence can earn money, what does that say about the value of actual music? Vulfpeck turned this absurdity into art, commentary, and a free tour all at once.
Sometimes the most memorable songs are the ones you cannot hear.