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Tag: music money

  • Unlocking music advances: A complete guide for emerging artists – ReverbNation Blog

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    As an emerging artist, getting an advance for your music can be a game-changer.

    How many times have you said something like, “I wish I had the money to_______”

    • Properly promote my music online?
    • Launch a tour with full-band and big production?

    Pursuing your dreams, obviously, can be easier with the help of some financial backing. But how do you secure an advance? How much funding should you request? And what’s the best way to allocate that money?

    This guide will break down everything you need to know about artist advances.

    By the end you’ll be able to:

    1. Determine if you’re ready for funding
    2. Know how to approach potential funders
    3. Understand the mechanics of advances
    4. Assess the potential risks and rewards
    5. Be more confident in how to spend the money

    An advance is a lump sum of money provided upfront by a label, distributor, publisher, or other funding company. This money is often recoupable against future royalties, meaning you pay it back slowly as your music generates revenue. 

    Think of an advance as an investment in your career that allows you to:

    However, advances are not free money. The deals aren’t exactly structured like a loan you’d get from a bank, but in a way, it might be helpful to think of an advance as a kind of bank loan; there is usually an expectation that advances be repaid through your future earnings, and they can sometimes come with terms that impact your creative and business decisions moving forward. 

    Who offers advances to artists?

    Various types of entities provide artist advances, each with its own unique industry focus:

    Labels

    Both major and indie labels can offer advances as part of a record deal. This funding is often used for music production or promotion costs, but can sometimes be used for tour support, living expenses, or other endeavors. 

    Some artists have taken advances for production costs and even used it to build out their own pro studios, which of course sets you up long-term for more affordable album projects in the future.

    Distributors

    Companies that make your music available on streaming and social platforms sometimes have label-services teams to provide funding options for artists already generating consistent revenue.

    ReverbNation Levels is one such service that offers financial backing and distribution to promising career-minded artists.

    Publishers

    Publishers are companies that exploit the publishing rights to compositions, helping songwriters get paid. They can also provide advances to songwriters and then recoup through future royalties. 

    Funding Companies

    There are several standalone artist financing services that specialize in offering advances for indie artists based on streaming revenue potential. 

    Sync Licensing Platforms

    Companies who place tracks in TV shows, films, games, and commercials sometimes offer advances tied to potential future sync licensing opportunities.

    Are you ready for an advance?

    Before seeking an advance, you should assess whether your engagement metrics and revenue demonstrate a sustainable growth trajectory.

    Keep in mind that advances are often custom-fit to the individual artists. So there can be cases where an advance is given to an artist who shows great promise even if they haven’t yet achieved public engagement metrics. 

    But to paint a basic picture, here are some benchmarks:

    Streaming performance

    • Monthly Listeners: At least 50,000–100,000 for smaller advances; 250,000+ for mid-tier offers.
    • Total Streams: At least 1–5 million cumulative streams for emerging artists; higher tiers exceed 10 million+.
    • Playlist Placements: Regular features in editorial or algorithmic playlists like Spotify’s Discover Weekly or Release Radar.

    Social media engagement

    • Followers: 10,000+ engaged followers on platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
    • Engagement Rates: Averages of 1–5% engagement on posts.

    Revenue streams

    • Streaming Income: Consistent monthly earnings of $1,000–5,000+ depending on the advance size.
    • Touring Revenue: Ability to sell 100–1000+ tickets per show.
    • Merchandise Sales: Regular merch revenue of $500–2,000+ per month.

    Fan Base Metrics

    • Mailing List Subscribers: At least 5,000 engaged subscribers with strong open rates.
    • Community Engagement: Active fans via membership program, crowdfunding platforms (e.g., Patreon) or Discord groups.

    How much should you request?

    The size of your advance should align with your earning potential and immediate career goals:

    Advance Size Monthly Revenue Needed Typical Uses
    $10k–$25k $1k–2k Marketing, single/album production.
    $50k–$100k $5k+ Extensive touring, PR campaigns.
    $100k+ High revenue and metrics Long-term growth and large-scale projects.

    Requesting too much can lead to repayment struggles, while requesting too little may not provide the support you need. If you qualify for an advance in the eyes of the funding entity, you should have some detailed discussions to make sure you receive an amount that both parties find reasonable.

    What funders need to see first

    I mentioned some of the specific benchmark streaming and engagement metrics you’ll want to achieve before seeking an advance. But keep in mind, your future earning potential is perhaps more important than proof of previous success.

    When funders evaluate an artist’s potential to recoup the advance, key factors include:

    • Proven Revenue Streams: Reliable income from streaming, touring, and merch sales.
    • Consistency: Long-term performance metrics, not one-off viral spikes.
    • Growth Potential: Positive trends in streams, social followers, and audience engagement.
    • Catalog Performance: Strong retention rates on tracks and growing catalog revenue.
    • Professionalism: A clear plan for how the advance will be used to generate returns.

    Allocating your advance wisely

    When you receive an advance, you’ll want to use the funds strategically to maximize impact.

    Again, expenditures may include some combination of these efforts:

    1. Production: Invest in high-quality recordings, mixing, and mastering.
    2. Promotion: Fund PR campaigns, playlist pitching, and digital ads.
    3. Touring: Cover upfront costs for travel, lodging, and crew.
    4. Merchandise: Design and manufacture new merch to boost revenue streams.
    5. Team Building: Hire professionals like managers, agents, or publicists.

    There is no “correct” strategy, broadly applied to all artists receiving an advance. But you will likely want to allocate money to the areas that will yield the most returns for you.

    In other words, if you don’t plan to make touring a frequent aspect of your career, don’t spend your advance on a single one-off tour. If you can record professional albums on a budget or at home, don’t spend your advance on the production, but perhaps allocate the funds to promotion instead. 

    In-kind advances and endorsements

    Not all advances come as cash. Artists may agree to terms involving in-kind services or endorsements:

    Examples of in-kind services

    • Promotional Support: Playlist pitching, PR campaigns, or radio promotion.
    • Tour Support: Coverage of travel or logistics.
    • Studio Time: Access to professional production resources.

    Artist endorsements

    In some cases, artists promote the funding company in exchange for better terms:

    • Social Media Shoutouts: Posts highlighting the funder’s role.
    • Brand Integration: Logos on album art, tour banners, or music videos.
    • Testimonials: Public endorsements of the funder’s services.

    These arrangements can be mutually beneficial but must align with the artist’s goals, of course. You don’t want to be on the hook to boost a company on social if doing so feels counterproductive to your brand. So, it’s pretty simple: Only accept funds or services if you’re truly enthusiastic about fulfilling your obligations in exchange.

    Negotiating your advance

    If a company is willing to give you an advance, it’s likely because they respect your craft or see potential for returns. That also means they should be respectful and open to conversation during negotiations.

    Some things to consider:

    1. Valuation: Work with an entertainment lawyer or trusted expert to ensure the terms are fair.
    2. Exclusivity: Avoid overly restrictive clauses limiting future opportunities for your music.
    3. Transparency: Demand clarity on repayment terms and expectations.
    4. Deliverables: For in-kind services, insist on specific timelines and measurable outcomes.

    Some other questions to answer upfront

    Before you sign anything or accept funding, you’ll want to know:

    • Are royalties recoupable across multiple releases?
    • Are royalties recoupable across multiple revenue sources (streaming, merch, tickets, etc.)?
    • Will the funder expect to have active input or control over creative or business decisions? 

    Hearing yes doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad deal, or that you shouldn’t accept the advance; you just want to make sure you know what you’re agreeing to beforehand. 

    There are always tradeoffs in this sorts of agreements.

    So, still want an advance?

    Advances can provide the financial boost you need to take your career to the next level. But of course that doesn’t mean a company or unicorn flies in and magically grants you easy success. Taking an advance comes with risks and responsibilities. You want the funder to recoup their investment in a reasonable amount of time!

    By achieving key benchmarks, negotiating favorable terms, and allocating funds wisely, you can ensure that the advance works for you, not against you. 

    Whether you’re an emerging artist or an independent music veteran with an established record of success, understanding these dynamics is the first step toward making informed decisions. One of those possible decisions, of course, could be to take an advance that ends up unlocking incredible opportunities for your music career in the years ahead.

    Want to get funding for your music project? Check out ReverbNation Levels.

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    ReverbNation

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  • 75 ways for musicians to make money in 2024 – ReverbNation Blog

    75 ways for musicians to make money in 2024 – ReverbNation Blog

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    Want to get paid for your musical talents? 

    As a musician, there are more ways to earn money than ever before. Dozens upon dozens of ways, in fact!

    While you should, of course, prioritize certain revenue streams as an artist who creates original music, there are times — perhaps when you’re first growing your career —when you just gotta pay the bills. 

    And in that case, putting your music skills to use sure beats a job outside of music, right? Especially if your musical side-hustle helps you stay sharp as an instrumentalist, arranger, producer, educator, or content-creator. 

    To help you get a sense of the wide range of options out there, I’ve put together a list of 75 ways you can make money from your music, grouped by category for easy scanning.

    Streaming & Digital Sales

    1. Streaming Revenue: Earn money from streaming activity when you get your tracks onto platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, or TIDAL.

    2. Digital Downloads: Sell MP3s, WAVs, or FLACs of your tracks on platforms like iTunes, Amazon, ReverbNation, Bandcamp, or your own website.

    3. Social Video Monetization: Get paid when people create social content using your music in videos on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and more. 

    4. Monetize Your YouTube Channel: Generate advertising revenue from viewer activity on your own YouTube videos, and use additional creator tools to monetize subscriber engagement.

    Music Recording Work

    5. Music Production: Put your producing skills to work for other artists. Get paid in points, upfront fees, co-writer splits, or whatever other arrangement makes sense for you and your collaborator. 

    6. Engineering: Are you good at recording, mixing, or mastering? Let other artists know! This can be a great source of revenue between your own recording projects or tours. 

    7. Session Player: Got talents as an instrumentalist or vocalist? Are you quick at learning and arranging tunes? Recording sessions can be a great way to get paid while not tying up too much of your time at once. You can attend sessions in person, or do remote session work from your own home studio.

    8. Studio Operator: Do you own a lot of recording gear that goes unused when you’re not making music? Maybe it’s time to consider renting out your studio to other engineers, producers, and artists. 

    9. Mobile Recording: Whether it’s destination recording (“My band rented an airbnb and we want to turn it into a studio”) or capturing live audio for other bands at their shows, sometimes having a portable studio can make all the difference in getting the job. 

    Music Publishing & Licensing

    10. Mechanical Royalties: Collect this form of publishing royalty when your original songs — including covers by other artists — get streamed, downloaded, or pressed on CD/vinyl.

    11. Performance Royalties: Earn this music publishing money when your original music is performed live in venues or publicly broadcast on radio and TV.

    12. Sync Licensing (Songwriter Side): If you write your own songs and retain the publishing rights, you can get paid an upfront fee — and in some cases, ongoing royalties — when your music is placed in film, TV, games, commercials, etc. 

    13. Sync Licensing (Label Side): Same goes for the “recording” side of the equation. If you own your own tracks, you are the label, and can get paid for sync placements.

    14. Compose for Music Libraries: Prolific composer or producer? You could write music for music collections that are specifically curated for sync licensing opportunities.  

    15. Sell Sheet Music: The original source of “music publishing” revenue! Depending on your genre, this can be a big seller. (New Age Piano, anyone?) But don’t just think of notation; you could also do chord-charts, tablature, lyric sheets, and more.  

    Live Music Performances

    16. Touring and Live Shows: Play live and get paid. This revenue could come in the form of ticket sales, door splits, bar percentages, or a guaranteed fee from the venue owner. 

    17. Residency Gig: Same form of payment options as above, but a residency is a regularly scheduled thing. It could be “7 nights in a row in July” or “Every other Thursday all year.”

    18. House Concerts: Play intimate concerts in private homes. These can be great fan-building experiences and help you sell a lot of merch, while reducing pressure for huge turnout. Plus you can save on travel expenses if the host puts you up for the night.  

    19. DJing: If you’re not touring, you can DJ events, parties, or venues in your hometown. On the road? Do a DJ set at a festival or venue between your tour dates. 

    20. Corporate Gigs: Want to get paid big bucks while entering The Twilight Zone? Play at a corporate function. It’s surreal. And lucrative.

    21. Weddings and Private Events: Perform at weddings, bar mitzvahs, anniversaries, family Christmas parties, birthdays, and other kinds of private events. These can often pay better than a standard venue gig.

    22. City or Municipal Events: The annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, the summer beer garden in the park, the Arts Walk. Check with your local chamber of commerce or city council for opportunities. 

    23. Festivals: It’s great to play music festivals, of course, but also research non-music gatherings that have live music as a component. Beer festivals. Balloon festivals. Food festivals. 

    24. Busking: Play in a public space with lots of foot traffic for tips. Subway stations. Town squares. Boardwalks and piers. Just check the local ordinances first. Get a permit, if required.

    25. Be in the House Band: Similar to a residency, where you stay put and different audiences come to you, seek out performance opportunities where you back-up other singers. Could be live-band karaoke, a big band or jazz group, etc.

    26. Play Cruise Ships: If you don’t mind small rooms and many months at sea, cruise ship gigs give you a chance to play a lot (sometimes multiple gigs per day), and provide downtime to focus on practice, recording, reading, etc. 

    27. Nursing Homes: While these aren’t glamorous gigs, they can be very meaningful for the audience and you as the performer. They can pay well, are usually shorter sets, and have the potential to become dependable repeat gigs. 

    28. Virtual Performances: Want to combine the exclusive and intimate feeling of a house concert with the convenience of livestreaming? Play a private, virtual performance on Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.  

    Music Merch Sales

    29. Artist Merchandize: Sell merch at gigs, on your website, and on platforms like Instagram and Spotify. Items could range from t-shirts to mugs to books. 

    30. Physical Music Formats: Despite what you may have heard, fans still purchase CDs, vinyl records, and even cassettes. Offer them in all the same places you would your merch, as well as in record stores via physical distribution or consignment. 

    31. Limited-Edition Releases: Offer limited-edition or signed physical copies of your music to fans. For instance, you could sell tour-specific recordings that will never again be available to purchase.

    32. Digital merch: Not all products need to be physical. You can offer PDFs of your tour diary or poetry. A digital cookbook. An unlock of a secret video. 

    33. Digital “Box Set”: Same goes for music files. You may have a trove of unreleased recordings. Give fans paid access! Or bundle everything you’ve ever recorded into a digital package with bonus tracks. 

    34. NFTs: “Non-Fungible Tokens.” These are crypto assets on a blockchain that represent ownership or engagement in some piece of music, imagery, community, artwork, or financial arrangement. 

    Music Education

    35. Teach Music: Whether it’s private lessons or a teleconference tutorial, you can help other people get better at an instrument, music production, or songwriting. 

    36. Music Therapy: Put your skills to use in a therapeutic way that helps people improve their well-being.

    37. Online Courses: Create and sell a digital course. It could be about your instrument, or your music-biz and promo skills. Lots of upfront work, but with the potential for it to become more “passive” income once your marketing funnel is up and running. 

    38. Music Workshops: Host IRL or online community gatherings where learning and feedback happens in a group setting. 

    39. Guest Lectures: Speak at schools, colleges, or music seminars. These are often paid opportunities, but even if you’re an unpaid speaker at a music conference, you should have the chance to make a quick sales pitch at the end of your talk or sell books afterwards. 

    40. Music Transcription: Are you good at figuring out complex harmonies, blistering bluegrass breaks, or famous saxophone solos? You could earn money transcribing that music note-for-note. It might be work-for-hire income, or you could publish those transcriptions in a book. Or on YouTube (with the possibility of earning ad revenue). 

    Crowdfunding & Fan Support

    41. Project-Based Crowdfunding: Use platforms like Kickstarter or GoFundMe to raise money from fans to support a specific recording, tour, marketing, or video project. 

    42. Membership Clubs: You can use a subscription-model platform like Patreon, or build your own online fan subscription through your website. In exchange for monthly payment, fans get exclusive or early access to content and other perks. 

    43. Fan Donations: Accept donations directly from fans through platforms like PayPal or Venmo. These links can be listed on your website, livestreams, or even pinned to the top of your Spotify profile. 

    44. Livestream Support: This is revenue fans give you for livestreaming. But unlike the Venmo or PayPal tips mentioned above, it can come in the form of a platform-specific currency or action: Stars, Bits, Subs, etc. 

    45. VIP Experiences: Offer your diehard fans the chance to pay for an exclusive experience. Backstage passes, meet-and-greets, watch the soundchecks, dinner before the show, photos and autographs. 

    Music Composition

    46. Songwriting for Other Artists: If you’re a prolific writer, you may have ideas to spare! Pitch your unreleased songs to other artists, publishers, or labels. Or collaborate with co-writers to make new songs. Repeatable success in this area takes a lot of dedication, but could lead to a publishing deal. 

    47. Write Jingles: Ya know, the catchy (and sometimes annoying) music that plays during commercials? There’s money to be made where art meets advertising. 

    48. Film Scoring: Compose music for films, TV shows, and documentaries. Like many areas of specialization, this field can require a lot of time and dedication. Consider accordingly how often and when you want to accept scoring work.

    49. Video Game Music: In theory, this isn’t that different from film scoring. Except that gaming has its own musical tropes, so the reference points may differ from cinematic orchestration and sound design. Many video games also feature songs that become part of the game’s soundtrack, which refers back to sync licensing. Lastly, there is a whole massive ecosystem of VGM covers on YouTube, where artists do their own creative arrangements of popular video game music. So if you play a unique instrument, this might give you a way to differentiate yourself: Halo on accordion, Final Fantasy on metal guitar, Zelda on harmonica, Mario Bros on banjo.  

    50. Sell Beats and Sample Packs: Are you a prolific producer in a genre that relies heavily on electronic music, such as hip-hop, pop, or EDM? You can help other artists get a huge musical assist by selling your beats, production-starts, and sample packs. 

    51. Write Custom Songs: Let your fans know you’ll compose and record personalized songs for special occasions like weddings or birthdays. Just be sure to charge enough for your actual time and effort!

    52. Sound Design and Audio Branding: Create “audio logos” and “sound identities” for businesses. Or use your production skills to make sound effects and audio environments for media, public spaces, or other commissioned projects.

    Retail & Venue Work

    53. Record Store: Gig at night and work at a record store during the day. You’ll stay on top of the latest music releases, as well brush up on the classics.

    54. Music Retail: Rather be near instruments? Work at a music store and develop your expertise in the latest gear, used instrument valuation, and more. 

    55. Making or Repairing Instruments: Good at fixing guitars? Carving violins? Soldering effects pedals or synths? You could start your own business or work out of an existing shop or store.

    56. Talent Buyer: Already in communication with a large network of talented musicians? Put those social and organization skills to use booking the acts at a local venue. 

    57. Venue Staff: Prefer more of the “on the ground” venue experience? You could be a bartender, bouncer, box office assistant, or venue manager. 

    58. Live Sound Engineer: Every good venue needs good live sound. You could be the key to making that happen. Bonus points if you’re not a grump!

    Other Music Professions

    59. Music Journalism: Write show previews, album reviews, feature interviews, and more. You may find an opportunity to do this as a side-gig for your local newspaper or arts weekly. 

    60. Musicology, Criticism, Editorial, and Curation: Put your deep knowledge and passion for a particular genre to use. Teach others about that history. Or make music recommendations and exciting connections for listeners. 

    61. Member of an Orchestra: Jazz, Classical, Ballet, or the pit-orchestra for Musical Theater. If you have great technical facility on your instrument and dependable sight-reading skills, you could make a living in a large ensemble.

    62. Religious Music: Whether it’s the organist in a cathedral, the guitarist in a praise-and-worship band, the cantor at a temple,… many faiths have music as part of their regular service. 

    63. Voice Talent: If you have a good singing voice, you might be able to translate those dramatic skills to provide voiceovers, audiobook readings, or character voices. 

    Brand Collaborations

    64. Brand Sponsorships: Partner up with some company who shares your values and aesthetic, and get paid when you rep their products, services, or mission. 

    65. Endorsements: Get discounted (or sometimes free) products and services such as instruments, music marketing tools, or music production software. In exchange, you agree to use that gear in public and provide testimonials.

    66. Affiliate Marketing: Promote a certain product on your website, do gear reviews, and link to the manufacturer or retailer, and earn a commission on any sales. 

    67. Be an Influencer: “Influencer Marketing?” Easier said than done, but… if you have a large social following, you may be able to monetize that attention by doing product placements or promo shoutouts. 

    Miscellaneous

    68. Books, eBooks, & Audiobooks: I suppose this could go under the “merch” section, but that’s more about the final product and sales. Becoming an author is an endeavor all its own, of course. But if you already display a knack for lyric-writing, you may have longer-form literary talent too. It could be fiction, non-fiction about musicology, essays about band drama and tour mishaps, or even written instrument instruction with accompanying illustrations.

    69. Music Blogging: I mentioned above that you could write reviews for an existing publication, but you could also host reviews on your own site in the hopes of monetizing your blog through ad placements and affiliate revenue. 

    70. Podcasting: Start a podcast about your music, adventures, or other interests. If you get sufficient engagement, you can monetize through ads, sponsorships, or listener support. 

    71. Competitions: These could be rap battles, songwriting challenges, bluegrass competitions. There may be an entry fee, but that also means there could be a big payout if you win. 

    72. Interactive Music Experiences: If you have mixed media or web-development skills, you could create an immersive real-world or digital experience. Emma McGann’s multi-player “Monsterverse” RPG in Discord is a great example. You can ask your fans to pay to participate, or you can use it as a chance to drive merch sales at the end of the experience.

    73. Consulting Services: Musicians need help, solid advice, and networking connections. Can you mentor someone in management, crowdfunding, digital advertising, or something else? Provide that strategy advice in exchange for a fee.

    74. Open-Source Collaboration: This is when you make some creative work available for others to use, without a clear idea of who will collaborate, or what exactly will result. Making stems downloadable for remixers is an obvious example. You can approve your favorite remixes and officially distribute those tracks, splitting any revenue the remix generates. But artists like Holly Herndon and Grimes took it one step further with AI models of their vocals. 

    75. __________: Yes, a blank space, because if there are 75 items in this list already, there’s bound to be many more ways to make money from your musical skills. And I wanted to leave room for you to imagine your own possibilities. Have fun!

    Conclusion

    Most musicians will never tackle every item in this list, and that’s completely fine. They shouldn’t. We all have our own specialties and interests. Best to focus on what’s rewarding, both in terms of personal growth and profit.

    But hopefully this long list gives you an overview of your options as you make a career of your music, and as you supplement your primary music income sources with additional revenue streams. 

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    Chris Robley

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  • 10 revenue streams for your music – ReverbNation Blog

    10 revenue streams for your music – ReverbNation Blog

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    Let’s talk straight: For your music to be a career, you need to earn money.  

    Some acts make their living on the road. Others stay in the studio recording music for TV shows. Of course, megastars like Taylor Swift seem to make a fortune in almost all the ways. 

    Building a professional life as an artist, band, or producer requires that you either maximize your profits in one or two areas, diversify your earnings across a wide range of revenue streams, or some combination of both approaches. 

    More ways to earn money from your music

    No matter what you see in news headlines, there are a lot of revenue opportunities for musicians today. In fact, there are more ways than ever to earn money, which affords modern creators the ability to pair their unique talents with particular forms of monetization.

    From music distribution and licensing deals, to crowdfunding and merch sales, you’ll want to understand your options when it comes to earning potential. 

    Because knowing what to try, where to focus, when to pivot, and how to collect your royalties can mean the difference between your music being a side-hustle and a thriving business. 

    Essential income for artists in 2024

    Though there are many dozens of ways to earn money from your musical talents, I’m making a distinction in this article between “artist revenue” and other music-related professions — such as music education, being a paid session player, a church pianist, a ballet accompanist, an orchestra member, running sound at a club, etc.

    If you’re an artist whose career is built upon original music, these are the ten forms of revenue you should prioritize:

    1. Digital Music Revenue

    This is money you earn for streaming and downloads when you release your music on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. The revenue is paid to the label (or you, if you own your own recordings) for the usage of the track.

    Though downloads aren’t as popular as they once were, the per-unit price can still make MP3s or WAVs a lucrative format to sell via iTunes, Bandcamp, ReverbNation, or even your own website. 

    2. Physical Sales

    This is money you earn when you sell physical copies of your music on vinyl, CD, tape, or even sheet music.

    Though we’re decades into the digital music century, physical media will still appeal to many of your top fans. Yes, even CDs. 

    3. Merch Sales

    “Merch” is a quick way of saying “stuff for sale that reflects your artistic brand.” It could be t-shirts, sweatshirts, flasks, posters, hats, socks, books, anything!

    You can sell merch at gigs, on your webstore, or via integrations with platforms like Instagram and Spotify. 

    4. Live Performances

    This is income earned from your concerts, gigs, tours, and festivals. It could be in the form of ticket sales, door fees, bar percentages, or even grant money.

    Of course live events also give you a way to sell merch and physical albums!

    5. Licensing and Sync Deals

    This is money you earn when you license your music for use in movies, TV shows, commercials, and video games. 

    Sync licensing can be lucrative, but it’s an area of the music industry that requires a lot of dedication if you expect to score frequent placements.

    6. Publishing Royalties

    These are songwriter royalties earned from the publishing rights to your original music, including mechanical royalties (from sales and streams) and performance royalties (from public performances and radio play).

    Need help collecting your songwriter royalties?

    7. Crowdfunding, Memberships, and Fan Support

    This is money you generate through crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, fan support platforms like Patreon, or via your own membership club.

    The fan contributions can be project-based, or in support of your overall music career, but the point is to give your audience more direct and immediate access to your artistry in exchange for… money!

    (Don’t forget the virtual tip jar if you’re doing livestreams).

    8. YouTube Revenue

    This includes earnings beyond whatever streaming and publishing money you’re earning from activity on YouTube Music.

    It includes be a share of ad revenue generated when you music is used in other creators’ videos on YouTube, tracked and paid via the YouTube Content ID program. Or partner program revenue if your channel reaches certain benchmarks. 

    Other video platforms such as Twitch have similar monetization programs for successful creators and streamers.

    9. Sponsorships and Endorsements

    This is money (or other forms of support, such as free gear or discounts) given to you by brands that fit with your artistic identity and audience.

    If you have a dedicated following on social, you could also consider being an “influencer” and doing paid product placements. 

    10. Immersive experiences and new tech

    Plenty of artists have found revenue opportunities by stretching beyond traditional merch and VIP experiences.

    For instance, Emma McGann built an interactive Discord game. Artists like Holly Herndon and Grimes have made voice-simulators available so that other musicians can create new tracks using their voices. And many crypto-native artists have found success selling music NFTs.

    The idea here is: Think outside the usual bag of revenue tricks. 

    Conclusion

    How much you earn in any one of these categories depends, of course, on the size and dedication of your fanbase.

    Success in most of these areas also requires that you actively market your music and make sales offers. 

    But hopefully this article gives you a sense of possibility for your music to generate money.

    And remember, as you move forward in your career, ReverbNation is here to help with your music distribution, promotion, and publishing administration needs.

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    Chris Robley

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