The Real Path to Making a Living in Music (It’s Not Just Streaming)

More than 15 years ago, when I was working in the Olympic Movement, I attended an International Sports Press Association conference in Turkey.  One of the speakers was the head of media for the International Olympic Committee.  He implored the attendees, “Let’s stop saying ‘new media.’  There’s nothing new about the Internet anymore.”

Of course, he was right.  It was 1991 that the Internet became available to the public.  So, to still be calling it ‘new’ somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 years later was inappropriate.  After all, someone doesn’t ask the parent of a 15-year-old, “How’s the new baby these days?”

When I first started my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast in February 2014, I was recording at Crystal Blue Sound Studios.  Not only did I go on to have the owner, Dominick Pages, as a guest on the show twice, but he even hired my PR agency (Now Hear This) to work for him, his studio, and his band.

As I got to know him, he would often talk about the “new economy.”  It essentially boiled down to people in the music business adapting to the likelihood that they weren’t going to make a career doing just one thing.  So, there he was, a singer, songwriter, guitar player, producer, engineer, and studio owner.  That, my friends, is a great depiction of what has become the norm.

While we probably shouldn’t use the expression “new economy” anymore, we should be embracing stepping into the different roles that make us more marketable, open new doors, and yes, provide additional revenue streams.

With regards to the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” back in college I used to say, “That’s not going to apply to me.  I’m going to get great grades and then earn opportunities as a result.”  Nope.  I quickly found out that it’s not what you know and it is, in fact, who you know.  So, the more you can get yourself out there, the more chances you might have for sometimes projects that you would’ve never had on your radar.

I do a lot of speaking and in one of my talks I mention the fact that I started out as “just” a small business owner, operating Now Hear This, Inc.  Eventually I launched the podcast, and I became “business owner and podcaster.”  Once I launched the 4-volume “Bruce’s Bonus Book” eBook series, I was then “business owner, podcaster, and author.”  With that, I go on to tell audiences, I then started getting opportunities to present at events, which made me, “Business owner, podcaster, author, and speaker Bruce Wawrzyniak.”  Of course, last summer when I became a Member of the Recording Academy, that absolutely got tacked on too.

Like all the hats that Dominick Pages wore, my list too might not necessarily roll off your tongue, but it doesn’t matter if you’re getting ahead.

For the stubborn performer who says that they’ll simply make their living off of sales of their music, consider this frightening data that I read this morning, not coincidentally, in an email from the Recording Academy.  “Less than 0.5 percent of artists on Spotify generate over $10,000 annually from streams.”

For dramatic effect, bloggers will report data like that and then they’ll write, “Read that again.”  No, I want you to focus on the “over $10,000 annually” part.  If you refuse to budge off of thinking you’ll make all your money off of streaming, what if you’re in that less than 0.5 percent, yet it’s because you make $11,000 annually from streams?  I’m no economist, but I’d venture to guess that that’s absolutely below the poverty level.

If you’re creating and releasing original music, that tells me that you in all likelihood have talents that you can be getting paid for relative to other artists hiring you.  Maybe you can sing on someone else’s project or play guitar or keys or drums or perhaps you record yourself and thus can take on clients who you can record.  Heck, you might even be so good at your instrument that you can give lessons.

If you’re only doing one thing and missing your car payment or your rent or skipping meals because you can’t afford food, it’s time to put on a different hat.  Nothing will inspire you to take on a new role than having your cellphone turned off because you couldn’t come up with the money for the latest bill and I would venture to guess even one or two before that.

Before you think it’s embarrassing, change your perspective.  You won’t stick out like a sore thumb.  “All your friends are doing it,” so you’ll actually fit right in.

A Member of the Recording Academy, I have been helping indie music artists, authors, actors, entrepreneurs, podcasters, filmmakers, small business owners, and more for over twenty years.  What challenges are you having in your creator career that I can lend some insight to?  Connect with me so you can take advantage of all my experience, and I can help and keep you moving forward.