Let’s discuss straight: On your music to be a profession, you might want to earn cash.
Some acts make their dwelling on the highway. Others keep within the studio recording music for TV exhibits. In fact, megastars like Taylor Swift appear to make a fortune in nearly all the methods.
Constructing knowledgeable life as an artist, band, or producer requires that you simply both maximize your income in a single or two areas, diversify your earnings throughout a variety of income streams, or some mixture of each approaches.
Extra methods to earn cash out of your music
It doesn’t matter what you see in information headlines, there are loads of income alternatives for musicians as we speak. In truth, there are extra methods than ever to earn cash, which affords fashionable creators the flexibility to pair their distinctive abilities with explicit types of monetization.
From music distribution and licensing offers, to crowdfunding and merch gross sales, you’ll need to perceive your choices in the case of incomes potential.
As a result of understanding what to strive, the place to focus, when to pivot, and the right way to acquire your royalties can imply the distinction between your music being a side-hustle and a thriving enterprise.
Important earnings for artists in 2025
Although there are various dozens of the way to earn cash out of your musical abilities, I’m making a distinction on this article between “artist income” and different music-related professions — similar to music schooling, being a paid session participant, a church pianist, a ballet accompanist, an orchestra member, working sound at a membership, and many others.
When you’re an artist whose profession is constructed upon unique music, these are the ten types of income you must prioritize:
1. Digital Music Income
That is cash you earn for streaming and downloads whenever you launch your music on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. The income is paid to the label (otherwise you, for those who personal your individual recordings) for the utilization of the observe.
Although downloads aren’t as common as they as soon as have been, the per-unit value can nonetheless make MP3s or WAVs a profitable format to promote by way of iTunes, Bandcamp, ReverbNation, and even your individual web site.
2. Bodily Gross sales
That is cash you earn whenever you promote bodily copies of your music on vinyl, CD, tape, and even sheet music.
Although we’re a long time into the digital music century, bodily media will nonetheless enchantment to lots of your prime followers. Sure, even CDs.
3. Merch Gross sales
“Merch” is a fast manner of claiming “stuff on the market that displays your creative model.” It may very well be t-shirts, sweatshirts, flasks, posters, hats, socks, books, something!
You’ll be able to promote merch at gigs, in your webstore, or by way of integrations with platforms like Instagram and Spotify.
4. Dwell Performances
That is earnings earned out of your concert events, gigs, excursions, and festivals. It may very well be within the type of ticket gross sales, door charges, bar percentages, and even grant cash.
In fact stay occasions additionally offer you a approach to promote merch and bodily albums!
5. Licensing and Sync Offers
That is cash you earn whenever you license your music to be used in motion pictures, TV exhibits, commercials, and video video games.
Sync licensing might be profitable, however it’s an space of the music business that requires loads of dedication for those who anticipate to attain frequent placements.
6. Publishing Royalties
These are songwriter royalties earned from the publishing rights to your unique music, together with mechanical royalties (from gross sales and streams) and efficiency royalties (from public performances and radio play).
Need assistance accumulating your songwriter royalties?
7. Crowdfunding, Memberships, and Fan Help
That is cash you generate by way of crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, fan help platforms like Patreon, or by way of your individual membership membership.
The fan contributions might be project-based, or in help of your total music profession, however the level is to provide your viewers extra direct and speedy entry to your artistry in trade for… cash!
(Don’t overlook the digital tip jar for those who’re doing livestreams).
8. YouTube Income
This contains earnings past no matter streaming and publishing cash you’re incomes from exercise on YouTube Music.
It contains be a share of advert income generated whenever you music is utilized in different creators’ movies on YouTube, tracked and paid by way of the YouTube Content material ID program. Or accomplice program income in case your channel reaches sure benchmarks.
Different video platforms similar to Twitch have related monetization applications for profitable creators and streamers.
9. Sponsorships and Endorsements
That is cash (or different types of help, similar to free gear or reductions) given to you by manufacturers that match along with your creative id and viewers.
When you’ve got a devoted following on social, you possibly can additionally take into account being an “influencer” and doing paid product placements.
10. Immersive experiences and new tech
Loads of artists have discovered income alternatives by stretching past conventional merch and VIP experiences.
For example, Emma McGann constructed an interactive Discord recreation. Artists like Holly Herndon and Grimes have made voice-simulators obtainable in order that different musicians can create new tracks utilizing their voices. And plenty of crypto-native artists have discovered success promoting music NFTs.
The thought right here is: Suppose exterior the same old bag of income tips.
How a lot you earn in any one in every of these classes relies upon, after all, on the scale and dedication of your fanbase.
Success in most of those areas additionally requires that you simply actively market your music and make gross sales affords.
However hopefully this text offers you a way of chance to your music to generate cash.
And keep in mind, as you progress ahead in your profession, ReverbNation is right here to assist along with your music distribution, promotion, and publishing administration wants.
