9 Ways to Generate Income as a Music Artist

Are you trying to stabilize yourself as a music artist?

In this article, we will go over nine ways to generate income as a music artist.

It will be specific to those who have an audience and want to keep building it. In a previous post, we looked at different methods of generating income without an audience.

9 Ways to Generate Income as a Music Artist

1. Streaming royalties

The first way to generate income as a music artist is through streaming royalties.

Earning money for every stream on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music can be a consistent way to generate income as an artist.

If you still don’t have your songs on the streaming platforms, you have to send them.

The way to send your music to all streaming platforms together is through a digital music distributor.

One of the strategies to gain more exposure from streaming platforms is to be consistent. Well, actually, this works for any area. But, it also applies to streaming.

If you keep up to date by uploading music and being in touch with your audience, you have a better chance of increasing your income.

2. Content ID royalties

Content ID royalties can also go a long way for musicians to earn extra income.

When people use your music in their YouTube videos, you can generate income through the content ID.

Content ID is YouTube’s technology to identify all copyrighted content within its platform automatically. After identifying, it generates royalties to the author of the video or, in this case, audio (music).

How to identify your music with Content ID?

There are companies exclusively dedicated to putting content ID to music. Or you can do it through your digital music distributor.

Check the percentages that each option gives you and choose the most convenient one.

3. Synchronization licenses

YouTube is not the only place where third parties can use your music.

There is a huge world out there that can potentially use your music!

Films, documentaries, shorts, series, video games, independent films, tv commercials, digital advertisements, etc.

All of this is done through synchronization licenses. It means that others have to pay a fee if they want to use your music in their projects.

That is, you remain the owner of the music, but you grant a license so that others can use it.

The great advantage of this is that these types of licenses are expensive. For example, a TV sync license on
MusicVine can cost between $ 54 and $ 1176. This means income for you.

How to get sync licenses?

You can choose different ways to get third parties to license your music:

• Do it yourself: Contact clients personally. It can take a lot of work.
• Music licensing companies: Companies that already have clients and offer your music in their catalog. Like for example, Musicvine or Musicbed.
• Sync Licensing Agents: If you want to spend more time making music and less trouble, then you can refer an agent to do it for you.

4. Selling merch

Have you already thought about selling merch?

T-shirts, mugs, smartphone cases, key chains, hats, etc.

Selling merchandising is great because:

• Keeps you in touch with your audience.
• Improves your branding as an artist.
• Helps maximize income.
• Fans love the merch.

Often when we think of merchandising, we envision large production and logistics moves. But, in the 21st century, there are easy ways to sell merch.

Print-on-demand companies allow you to sell merchandise just by making the designs.

You make the designs, and when it is sold, they print it and ship it to the customer. That is, they are in charge of the production, printing, and shipping of the merch.

Some of the best-known print-on-demand companies are Spreadshirt or Teespring.

You can even link your web domain to improve artist branding.

Still, if you want to make your own merchandise and send it to your fans, you can too. But it takes a lot of logistics and work, and you will lose time to keep making music.

5. Creating a Patreon

If you have a loyal audience, then you can also consider creating a Patreon.

Patreon is a platform that allows you to create recurring monthly subscriptions for your audience.

That is, your fans pay a recurring monthly payment, and in return, they receive something.

Generally, artists create different levels according to their interests, such as “Starter”, “Big Fan” and “VIP Access”. And at each level, offer you a different benefit.

When you create a Patreon, you have to think about everything valuable for your fans. Some of those things can be:

• Exclusive access to some of your songs.
• Pre-access of your releases.
• Direct interaction with fans.
• Live shows just for them.
• Exclusive Merch.
• Special discounts.

PS: Patreon is one of the most famous services to do this, but there are others too. Or even, you can also create it directly from your page if you know how to do it.

6. Doing tours

Touring is one of the most traditional ways to generate income as a music artist.

It’s not only fun but also profitable.

Scheduling tours and generating excitement among fans also helps generate interaction with them.

7. Digital and physical sales of your music.

The sale of records is no longer the same as 50 years ago, but even so, the most loyal fans continue to appreciate it.

On the one hand, the sale of digital music is a source of income, whether singles, EPs, or albums.

But you can also offer the physical version on CD.

You can even surprise your audience with vinyl records if you have vintage productions. In some styles like indie, alternative, or lofi, it can be a good idea.

8. Digital concerts

After the pandemic, digital concerts began to expand their presence.

They are an alternative to physical tours when they are not possible or even to complement them.

In addition, digital concerts require fewer expenses than physical ones.

Like physical ones, you can sell tickets in digital concerts in advance or accept tips during the show.

9. Create an email list

This is not exactly a way to make money, but it is a strategy that you must consider.

Social media is a great way to grow and communicate with your audience. In other words, it’s something that you should always keep in mind and be active as an artist.

But it is not exactly a method of personal communication.

One of the most personal ways to communicate with your fans is through email.

Of course, nobody likes spam. We all hate them. But the emails that interest us, we always read them.
That is why it is important to develop a good email marketing strategy to communicate with your audience.

If you think about it, with an email list, you can do many things such as send special discounts, pre-tickets, and more that you cannot do with social networks.

Final thoughts

In digital times there are alternatives to generate income with music that didn’t exist before.

The big advantage is that you have access to all these tools as an independent artist (without a label) today. So you have a lot to take advantage of.

Doing a review, the 9 ways to generate income as a music artist are:

1. Streaming royalties
2. Content ID royalties
3. Synchronization licenses
4. Selling merch
5. Creating a Patreon
6. Doing tours
7. Digital and physical sales of your music
8. Digital concerts
9. Create an email list