“You’ll never make money in music” is an opinion often shared with those who dare to dream of professional musicianship. It’s not true, though. It is possible to make money with music, or any personal passion, especially with the current state of the internet. Back in the day, there were only a few routes to go where you could make money with art, now there are infinite paths you can take. Here are five tips on how to showcase your music and make some real money.
Social Media Presence
First, any modern musician should make a point of having a well established social media presence. By having a well-executed game plan with your social media and online face, you can grow your audience naturally by providing content. The platform also creates a direct line of communication from fan to artist.
Marketing Yourself
Don’t forget that you (the musician) are running a business. Instead of selling vacuums though, you’re selling yourself. You’re selling your in-demand, unique services. People fail when they assume people will somehow just happen to find their content. This is not the case. Use social media, Craigslist, and anything else that applies to better market yourself.
Get Your Material Streaming
Thanks to the modern streaming services such as Spotify and Tidal, consumers have the ability to listen to virtually anything they want. This can be a great way of putting your tunes into their head where they hopefully stick. While the streaming services don’t pay incredibly well per-click, what they do, is provide a platform for people to try out your music seemingly risk-free. If you aren’t sure where to start, look into getting your material digitized first. Companies now specialize in the digital distribution of music and can help with promoting your name on the right sites.
Busking Goes Viral
Busking is perhaps the world’s second oldest profession. As a musician, why not just go to the street and play your music for people walking by? If you’re good, they’ll pay you. Some people make great money busking and we’ve all seen infinite viral clips of great ones. Why not get out there and busk a few times? You might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Get Gigs
The reality is, even though the industry is changing, certain things aren’t. The most money to be made in the music industry is from live shows. Even the biggest acts in the world like Drake make their real money there. So, get out there, use your social media presence and large fan base to sell yourself to club promoters. The best money to be made is from this.
Stop Making Excuses Already
You want to be a musician? Be one. The world is ready to pay you for it, as long as you’re willing to put in the work and make the right decisions. Set up your social media and use it to market yourself. Go busk if need be, and remember that the best money to be made is from live shows.
