30 Unique Ways Musicians Can Make More Money

Making money as a musician is tough, so it’s no wonder that many of us are turning to income generation in other ways.

Many musicians are using their skills and talents in the visual arts, such as photography, graphic design and video editing, to supplement their income. Some have found success by starting a side hustle tutoring or teaching music lessons. Other musical entrepreneurs have turned their passion for music and their love of travel into successful businesses.

The Creative Side Hustle

If you’re a musician, it’s quite possible that sometimes you feel as though your job is never done. Whether you run piano students out of your living room twice a week, or if you’re the director of an orchestra, there are many hours in the day during which you can’t squeeze any more work in. The pressure to maintain a certain standard of excellence only makes it worse.

Discovering other ways to make money as a musician may be an outlet for the things you love most, but it’s also a way to bring new ideas and fresh perspectives into your career. The creative side hustle can be a fun, engaging way to fill in some of the hours outside of your usual job. It ties in directly with what you love about the music industry, which is why it makes perfect sense for those who thrive on challenges.

Additionally, the creative side hustle may even keep you stretching and growing in your primary career. The act of marketing your new side hustle to other people, for example, is a great way to broaden your network of interesting contacts. It also gives you the chance to look at your business from an entirely different point of view. By doing this, you’ll inevitably begin to see ways that you can improve upon what you do regularly at work.

A perfect example of this is the musician who finds a new way to raise prices in his or her primary career by learning how to find value in other people’s work. Or, how about the musician who starts performing at weddings on the
weekends? That’s just one example of a side hustle that can provide great benefits for both your creativity and your bank account.

30 Unique Ways Musicians Can Make More Money

There are so many ways that musicians can monetize their skills and hobbies. The trick is to find something you’re passionate about, work hard and don’t give up. It’s not as difficult as it may seem at first. As you begin to accomplish one goal, you will naturally begin to see other possibilities for
how you can make money with your talents, interests and business savvy. Here are a few ways that musicians can make more money:

1. Play live shows

Performing live is traditionally one of the best ways to make money as a musician, and also one of the best ways to sell merch. With restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic lifting in many parts of the world, musicians are going back to playing live shows and touring.

There are many avenues available to play live shows. These include traditional music venues, bars, restaurants, clubs, coffeehouses, house concerts, colleges and universities, music festivals, or private events like weddings, corporate events, and other private parties.

2. Setup a YouTube channel

This is one of the easiest ways that you can make money from your music. Of course, some people have a lot of fans and others do not, however, there are some who do not have very many fans yet but who really love their music. If this is you, then it is easy to open up a YouTube channel and start uploading music videos.

Many fans of your music will find your channel and start liking, commenting or subscribing to you. You can make money from this over time, but it is something that you need to consider very seriously in order for it to be worthwhile. If you are not sure about the idea at all, then this may not be the best option for you.

Creating a YouTube channel for your music can be a great way to make money as a musician. There are lots of musicians making videos and making
money from them. Some musicians have made careers out of their YouTube channels, and others are using their channels to supplement other parts of their career.

YouTube is also a great way to get your music heard by new people. If you have a new video out, you may get requests from other musicians and fans to upload it to YouTube. When creating your channel, it is important to make sure that you have a strong audio quality. Whether it be by recording the entire performance or using professional equipment, it is important that the audio quality of your videos are high.

3. Create downloadable content and/or ebooks

Music is not the only thing that can be made into a downloadable content. You can also create ebooks. If you are monetizing your music, or that of others, then it only makes sense to create some kind of product that you can sell for those who want to learn more about your music or those of others.

Ebooks can be created from several different areas. You can write an e-book about your own music, or of someone else’s. You have the option to create an ebook as a digital download, or you can create a printed version that is available to your customers.

Another option is creating downloadable content in the form of art, photos, and other visuals from both live shows and from recordings. This can be particularly appealing to fans who like to follow your social media accounts and see what you are up to. It’s nice motivation for fans to purchase your music if they know that by purchasing it, they are also supporting you in a very tangible way.

4. Create merchandise

Music merchandise is another way that musicians can make more money. A lot of musicians take their merchandise very seriously and will provide high-quality t-shirts, posters, stickers, and other items that are designed to showcase their work.

The artist is able to make money off of these sales by selling these products through their own website or through affiliate websites. This allows them to profit from every sale that they make for a specific product.
Using affiliate websites allows the artist to make money for any sales that are generated through their account. They are able to profit from the traffic of these websites and their followers. For example, if someone follows an artist on Twitter or Facebook and clicks on their image profile link, and then makes a purchase through the affiliate website from there, the artist will receive a commission from those sales.

5. Create and sell a course

If you have more in-depth knowledge about the subject of your music, you may be able to make some money by creating a course that teaches others about it. Consider creating an online course with personalized lessons. This is a great way to earn passive income, as long as you include upselling options.

For example, you could create an online course that teaches musicians how to play the guitar or piano with an instructional video series. Once you have a few videos up and running, you can then offer them up as a course.

Creating a course can be a great way for musicians to make more money and promote the work that they do. It is also an investment opportunity because if it takes off, you could soon have a full-time job that doesn’t require you to play live or be on stage at all.

6. Sell your music via streaming

If you are playing music in a live setting, then perhaps this is already part of your income stream. If so, then selling streaming rights to your songs may well be the next best step.

There are many different streaming services in the industry. Some of the more popular services are Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music, Tidal and more. Many artists will offer their music via these streaming platforms and will make a few cents from each stream. However, it can be more lucrative
to sell your music via iTunes or Amazon; this is where you can make the money for each sale. There are many venues for selling your music via streaming too.

7. Use crowdfunding sites to raise money

Crowdfunding sites are a great place to raise money. Many musicians and other creative types take to crowdfunding sites in order to get the money they need to finance their projects or provide them with the necessary funds to create some sort of content that they can sell.

You can also choose a friend or sponsor who will help you with your project if you need any additional funding. If you don’t have the money or resources, then these sites are absolutely perfect for raising the additional funds that you need in order to create your product.

This can be a good way to get the funds that you need in order to record an album or to tour. You can also use these sites to raise money for other creative projects. For example, if you are going to create a film and you are having trouble getting funding for it, then crowdfunding sites can help you raise the necessary funds needed for your project.

8. Use Subscriptions

This method can be a good one if you have a lot of people listening to your music or musicians who are willing to pay a subscription fee in order to get updates when there is new content for their favorite musician or artist.

The way this works is that you will put out a new release and then set the price at a certain amount of money. Fans who love your work will be more than willing to pay the money in order to continue getting more updates and new media when it is released.

By giving fans the option to subscribe to your music, you can get them to pay a certain amount of money each month in order to keep up with your work and what you are up to. This can help them support you by purchasing your music and also give them access when they are not able to go live online.

This is a great way to make a steady income, especially if you have a large following on social media or your website. If you are looking to build up a large following, then this is certainly a strategy that you should consider.

9. Sell physical CDs/DVDs

There are still some people who prefer to own physical media as opposed to digital copies of their favorite bands and musicians. This can lead to a few
things. For example, many musicians will sell their physical releases on their websites.

Branded CDs, DVDs and Vinyl records can also be sold by you on your own website as well. This is a great way to build up a decent income stream if you have the funds available to invest in recording and marketing. This can help you create the best possible work and make it an even better selling point to fans around the world when they know that they are getting something exclusive from you.

10. Sell advertising space

This option is a little more complicated than some of the others options. With this option, you can sell ad space on your own website or other social media platforms.

You may want to consider selling ad space on your website in order to help you build up a respectable amount of traffic and visitors who are coming in to check out your work. This can be something that can help you make a good amount of money in a very short amount of time.

11. Get a sponsorship

If you want to get the money that you need in order to record and then release an album, then consider getting a sponsorship. larger band or artist sponsorship is something that can really work for smaller bands as well, which makes it even better to consider if you aren’t sure about how much money you will have available for recording the album.

If you have an existing following, then you can contact brands that you would love to be sponsored by and pitch them your idea. They will likely
want your help in promoting their brand as well, so it may not be such a bad thing to accept if you are really looking for the money.

12. Sell a song to licensees

Another way musicians can make money is to sell their songs to businesses who are looking to use the music in their video clips or commercials etc. You can usually get money each time your song is used in this way, meaning that your songs could earn you a lot of money if you get used a lot.
This may not make you as much money as you would if you choose to
release an album, however, it can be worth it to consider if you don’t want to spend so much money on recording a whole album by yourself. Even some
of your fans may like the idea of hearing a song that they love being played in the background of a commercial or something similar.

13. Sell photo rights

As a musician, you are likely to have some pretty cool photos taken of you on stage or in your studio. This is something that you can sell to local media outlets in areas where you are playing shows.

For example, if you have a show in New York City, then this would be a good idea to pitch to the local media outlets in New York City as they will likely want an exclusive photo of your performance and also an interview in order to run when they are promoting the concert that night.

You can often get these rights for free, however, if you have more than one photographer at your concert and they are taking separate photos, then you may decide to ask them to share some of their photos as well.

15. Offer tours

If you are a band or musician, then you may want to consider offering tours to other musicians and artists who are looking to promote their own work. If you have performed in different areas and have a big enough following, then you can book yourself in other cities or states that you wouldn’t normally be able to tour in.

You can easily reach out to other artists and see if they are willing to work with you on this type of arrangement. There are many benefits to working together in this way as both of you can promote and help each other out.

You may need to give a discount to get the tour to be successful, however, this can be worth it and you may find that you are able to generate enough money that your record label will give you a break on some of the touring costs.

16. Take public speaking engagements

This can be another way that musicians earn some money. If you want to make money by taking public speaking engagements then you may want to consider this option.

You can often take part in speaking engagements at colleges or universities, which can be a great way to get your name out there and make a lot of fans along the way. The more fans you make, then the more likely that they will pay for your music and also go out of their way to hear your performances.

17. Perform on television

If you want to get paid in order to perform on television, then you may want to consider this type of work. This can be a popular way for musicians and bands to earn some money as they are often approached by companies in order to take part in live performances.

Even if you aren’t offered to perform on television, there are many radio stations that also use live performances as a way to draw more listeners closer into their show and this can often be a good way to earn some money.

18. Offer recording sessions

If you have a band, then you may want to consider offering recording sessions to other bands or musicians. It is possible that if one of your friends or fans wants to record with you, then this can help boost their ability to get feedback on their music so that they can get some great ideas before getting started on recording themselves.

Even if this isn’t something that you are sought after for, then you may at least be able to offer the session for a price and help out a fellow musician.

19. Offer songwriting services

Another great way that musicians can make money is to offer songwriting services. Some artists out there may write their own music, but they are unable to find the words to go with it. If you have a good relationship with your fans, then you may want to consider looking for opportunities where you can help them with this type of problem.

You can listen to their music and write the lyrics for them in return for a fee that you can agree upon between the two of you. This is a win-win
opportunity, as they will be able to make some money by selling their music and you will be able to help them with the lyrics.

20. Perform at weddings

You could also get paid in order to perform at weddings. Wedding singers are often well paid for their performances and you may want to consider taking advantage of this opportunity if you think that you have the voice for it.

This doesn’t have to be an exclusive gig for you and you could also offer this service to other people as well. This is a great way to make money if you have a big enough following and you may also find that your fans love the idea of hearing their favorite song at the wedding celebration.

Wedding musicians also often get a lot of requests for this type of gig due to it being one of the most popular ceremonies. You may want to increase your chances of being able to book gigs like this by going on the Internet and checking out who is hiring wedding musicians.

21. Provide voiceovers

Another great way to make money is to provide voiceovers. If you have a good voice, then you may want to consider this as an option for making money from your music career. You can provide these recordings as a way for other companies to use in their audio advertisements or even on television, however, these services are often well paid and you may want to consider hiring an agent in order to get more work after you do this.

Voiceover artists can earn a lot of money and this is often a popular path for many musicians who want to earn some extra money on the side. You can also offer this service for free or for a small fee if you have friends that are looking to have their music recorded as an audio sample.

22.Make CDs available for sale on your website

If you have a website that is selling your music, then you may want to consider offering CDs that are available for sale on your online store.

Even if you don’t yet own any physical CDs, you can still make money by selling these items and allowing people to pay in order to download these songs. You may want to consider the possibility of charging different prices
for the downloads and also allowing people to buy multiple downloads in order to get a lot of music for their money.

23. Create beats and promote online

You may also want to consider creating your own beats in order to start making money from this. Even if you are working with a producer of some type, you can often choose your own recording session and get paid at the same time.

This is a great way for starting out as you don’t have to invest a lot of money in the equipment needed for recording, which means that you can start getting paid much quicker than if you had started out by spending thousands upon thousands on studio equipment.

You can also promote these beats and make sure that you use them in order to get more exposure for yourself and your music.

24. Write articles for music sites

You can also make money online by writing articles for different music websites. If you have a lot of experience in the music industry, then you may want to consider submitting content to websites that would be interested in your work.

This has many benefits, as these sites often pay well for the articles and it gives them a way to get more traffic for their business. If you have a good article, then you can also sell this to multiple sites and get paid for it. You may need to have multiple articles in order to earn a lot of money, but this is still an effective way to make money with your writing skills.

25. Consultant

Another great way to make money is to become a consultant. Many musicians have become successful in the music industry by being able to offer advice and information to other musicians in some way. If you have
this kind of experience, then you may want to consider starting up your own business where you can help other musicians or even give them some tips on how they can improve their music and increase their earning potential with their records.
This is a great path to follow, as you will be able to earn money while helping someone else out at the same time. The only catch is that you should have experience in the music industry and you may want to consider looking up some business courses that could help you get started on your own consulting business.

26. Sell concert tickets

You can sell tickets for your upcoming shows, which will often earn you a lot of money. As a musician, you may want to consider selling these as it can help boost your profile and get more people interested in buying your music.

It’s a great way for you to make money for the shows that you do, but it also gives you a chance to promote any new music that you have coming out. You may want to think about creating some new merchandize or even sell tickets in order to try and get more people interested in the shows that you are going to be playing at.

This is a great way to make money, and you only need to do a few shows in order to earn more than what you would be able to get from selling your physical CDs.

27. Play shows as a sponsored artist

If you have the right kind of audience and fans that follow your music, then you may want to consider being a sponsored artist. This sort of deal can be great for getting some extra money, as well as a lot of exposure as you would be playing at different big events that could give you a lot of great marketing opportunities that could help boost your band.

You can find a lot of artists that will pay you to play at events, and you may want to check out the different gigs that are available online in order to find out more about these sponsorship opportunities.

28. Perform on cruise ships

Another great option for making money out of music is to consider performing on a cruise ship. Many musicians find this to be a fun way to experiment with their sound and they also get paid well while they are performing on the cruise.
You can often choose the type of music that you want to perform and make sure that this is what you would like to do in the future with your career. You can also make a lot of money performing at different events on these cruises and it gives you a chance to get out there in front of a big audience.

29. Make money by being a demo singer

Many people are looking for singers that can record songs as a demo, and you may want to think about doing this in order to make some extra money. Many music producers will be looking for someone who can sing harmonies or even sing the lead vocals on a song, which means that you could make some additional income doing something like this.

This is a great way for you to make money from your voice, and it will be well worth it if you are able to record a couple great songs that can be used in the music industry. You may want to consider making friends with some of the local producers or finding some online producers who would be
interested in working with you on creating these demos.

30. Rent your recording studio

It can be a great idea to rent out your own recording studio, especially if you are looking at a big increase in your income. You can often get this done for very cheap and it will provide you with the tools that you need in order to start making some extra money for all of your hard work.

If you don’t have a lot of money to buy all the equipment, then you can still set up your own studio and rent it out to other musicians. This can be a great way for you to make money with your skills and it can help you earn some extra cash for all of the hard work that goes into creating music.

FAQS

1. How to make money from music on YouTube?

If you haven’t released any music yet, then you may want to consider letting people hear your skills on YouTube. You can often gain a lot of exposure for yourself by releasing new songs on your channel and it will be worth it if you are able to get some extra income with the different views that are gained from these videos.
YouTube can also be a great way to help you to promote your new music, and it will be worth it if you are able to get people interested in buying your new records. You can sometimes make some money off of advertising and any other features that YouTube offers, so keep this in mind if you are just starting out.

2.How to start my own record label?

Many musicians find it hard to get their music distributed out to the right record labels in order to make some extra money, so they often go ahead and start their own record labels. If you want to follow this path, then you should make sure that you have enough experience in the music industry and you will also want to make sure that you can secure the right songs before putting out your first album.

Like anything else, starting a record label is going to take a lot of work and it will require you to have the right skills. You can also look up some music business courses online that could help you get started with learning how to run your own record label.

3. How to make money from songwriting?

Songwriters earn a lot of money when they are creating their own music, and so you may want to consider doing this as well. This can be a great way for you to make more out of your music and it will be worth it if you are able to get some extra money for the work that you do.

You can also write music for others in order to help them get new ideas, and this could lead them to helping you out with promoting your songs as well. There are a lot of different ways that songwriters make money and you may want to look into what other people are doing in order to get some extra ideas for yourself.

4. How to make money on iTunes?

iTunes can be great for selling your music online, and you may want to consider having your own store on iTunes. You can also make a lot of money with iTunes if you have a big following and you sell lots of albums.

There are many different ways that you can profit from your music on iTunes, but you should always make sure that your music is worth the price
that they are charging. You can often get paid monthly for the songs that you sell on iTunes, and this could be a great way for you to make extra income from your band or recording studio.

5. How to make money from music on SoundCloud?

SoundCloud is another great source for musicians that want to make more money, and you can often sell your music on SoundCloud for a profit. You can also earn money by using ads on SoundCloud, and this makes it a good source for musicians that are just starting out. You can also make money
from the views that you get for your songs, so you should always look at any extra income that you can get from this platform.

6. Does it take a lot of work to start a music career?

This question is often asked because there are so many different choices when it comes to making money as a musician, and many people aren’t sure which path is the best one to go down. You can always make some money from your music, but it will require a lot of work.

If you are just starting out, then you may want to consider taking on some small gigs in order to get a few extra jobs under your belt while you are learning how to be a professional musician. This will earn you some cash while you are still learning how to make money as a musician and it could lead you towards the career that you want.