10 Ways Musicians Can Earn More Money This Year

Category: News Created on Saturday, 07 January 2012 13:06

2011 saw exciting new revenue streams popping up for independent musicians, and 2012 shouldn’t be any different. YouTube is making it easier and easier for artists to collect royalties from their video streams, and Spotify is becoming the go-to site for listening and sharing music, which is good news for musicians who have their music available through the service. And there are even more new opportunities on the horizon.

1. Alternative performances and house concerts- Fill in those blank calendar dates while touring. Check out SlowBizz.com or Concerts In Your Home.

2. Sell your CDs on consignment at unusual retail locations- Ask your favourite coffee shop, barber shop, salon, restaurant, toy store, or boutique to play your music on their stereo. Then let them sell your disc at the counter and give them some of the dough.

3. Affiliate programs- You’re already sending your fans to Amazon and iTunes to purchase your music. Why not earn a little extra money for it? Check out the Amazon affiliate program and the iTunes affiliate program.

4. Offer unique merch- Have you ever wondered if your merch sales would increase if you sold leather bracelets, pink panties, or throwing stars with your band logo on them? Test it out! This might be the year to order a small quantity of that crazy merch item you’ve always dreamed of to see if it sells.

5. Sell “Direct to Fan”- Use Music Store Widget to sell and share music directly.

6. Digital archives- Diehard fans want to collect everything! Like Fugazi, Phish, and other famous band with cult followings, give your fans the opportunity to download every show, video, album, and single.

7. Crowdfunding- They’ve been around for a few years now, but RocketHub and Kickstarter are still generating big revenue for artists who need funds in order to launch creative projects, record albums, etc.

8. Live Streams- Perform live and stream it on a service like Ustream or Justin.tv. Ask fans to subscribe or donate!

9. Recording studio open house- If you have the budget to rent a studio for an extra hour or two during one of the days you’re recording, allow fans to pay for a behind-the-scenes experience where they can see where the magic happens, hear tracks from the upcoming release while it’s still “in the works,” and smell the smells!

10. Compose songs for fans- Offer, for a fee, to write a short song or musical dedication for a fan. Record it quickly on an acoustic guitar or piano, and collect your money!

Photo Credit To Jem Blog