Can You Make a Living From Music Just Because You’re Good?

 Yes, you have to be good, but that’s only the beginning of the equation these days. Let’s face it, it’s not like people are buying your records anymore – or even downloading your music. If you’re lucky, amongst the billions of songs out there, someone might stream yours. Then if you’re lucky you’ll get paid a tenth of a cent for that. You’re going to get rich. Go ahead – try to get a million streams that will pay you about $1000 just cause you’re good.

The fact is, unless you have a million or more dollars to pump into your musical career you will more than likely never be a household name. Look it up. Macklemore spent about 10 million to launch his career. These days selling a record or download is a thing of the past. Streaming income? About the only income for a good artist is live performances and merch sales.

So, we have established you have to be good. Now what? You could develop a large local following and stay there for the next 30 years playing local clubs and weddings. Or you could establish yourself around the world and develop your route to tour. Meaning get your base venues in the UK, Europe, Australia, Asia and other parts of the world.

This is where the “being good” only goes so far (locally). Now you have to be good, smart, an astute business person, adept at social media marketing, press, obtain radio airplay in that area, then finally a good salesperson to secure those gigs. Establish yourself in different countries and cites. Play a great show and they will want you back at least twice a year. Establish enough of these and you have your route and 2 to 4 tours a year. Europe, Asia and the UK pay for more for live acts than the US. They also appreciate them more.

But why would a venue in Europe want to hire you if no one has ever heard of you? There are numerous good booking agents in these areas and you can contact the venues direct. But again, you have to have something to offer them. Want to get to this point? Then here’s what you need to do besides being good.

First you need radio airplay and some charting in the areas you want to perform in. Yes, people in the UK and Europe actually listen to radio. If they hear you on the radio in their area then as far as they are concerned you are a star there. This puts you in demand for booking agents and venues.

Secondly, take your airplay and charting and do press releases, social media posts and tweets. Now you have something to tout about. Yes, you will have to invest some funds into doing so but you have to invest in any business and this is a business. Once you establish yourself in areas with airplay, then venues and agents will want to speak with you. You can book gigs, have a great performance and they will ask you back a few times a year. This is the beginning of establishing your route. Once you do, you will build fans and followings in those areas.

So being good is just the first part, establishing your route will place your artistry on the path to making you a good living.

Contact us today to start your own plan!