BY: MACKENZIE CARLIN
Music professionals are at a strange crossroads. On one hand, it’s easier than ever to make music with great sound quality, so there’s more competition than ever. On the other hand, the number of opportunities to make money through music is at an all-time high. Whether it’s new platforms that pay musicians online or mobile technology that makes it easier to accept credit cards at gigs, 21st century tools are changing the game in music. If you’re a new musician or an experienced player looking for a new way to get by, these ideas may lead to your next paycheck. Play on.
Make Money Online
The Internet is the new engine that delivers music to listeners. From Spotify to Sound Cloud, various online platforms pay artists per play or enable paid downloads. The trick is getting your music on the most prominent sites. That’s where CDbaby.com can help. CDBaby helps independent artists sell music on iTunes, Amazon, Facebook, Spotify and a number of other platforms. CDBaby can also license your music for film, TV and Youtube, so you get paid anytime your music is used. CDBaby charges $49 for an album and $12.95 per single. If your believe there’s a market for your music, CDbaby will make it available. For independent musicians, it’s all the perks of a major label without the commitment.
Update Your Technology
Musicians and bands who are making money the old-fashioned way are using new technology to boost their sales. Bands who sell merchandise at shows have traditionally only been able to accept cash. Now, any band member with a smartphone can turn his device into a POS system. Square, Paypal and Intuit all over offer free credit card readers that correspond with an app. Users can link their bank accounts and process transactions. Providers usually charge between two and three percent. By using their mobile devices, musicians are following a common trend in the workplace. Bring your own device (BYOD) gives professionals the familiarity of their personal devices at work. Blackberry is a leading mobile provider for the BYOD trend. With it’s BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, IT managers can track devices from a unified platform. It’s cutting costs for businesses, and now musicians are jumping on board.
Start a New Business Project
Perhaps it’s time to explore a new project in your music career. Entrepreneur.com lists a number of viable business opportunities in the music industry ranging rehearsal space rental to record label foundation. If you have an ear for talent, you may the perfect candidate to start your own label. You’ll hire bands, rent a studio, have music mixed and conduct any other high-level logistics needed to get an artist off the ground. Other opportunities involve emceeing events and managing music festivals. Ask around music insiders in your community. You’ll be surprised how many opportunities you find.
Market Your Music
Word of mouth will always be the best way to earn new fans, but artists are getting creative in how they market music. Social media provides platforms to connect with listeners. A bar musician may hand out business cards with a list of links to music and social media accounts. Not only can fans listen to music, they can also connect on a personal level. More and more, bands with strong social media presences are scoring new fans and generating buzz.
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