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# 42 Ways to Make Money As An Independent Musician
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/42-ways-to-make-money-as-an-independent-musician/
- Published: 2012-11-02T10:58:00.000Z
- Updated: 2012-11-02T10:58:00.000Z
- Description: While often difficult, it is never entirely impossible to make a sustainable living as a musician these days. In fact, the Future of Music Coalition assembled a list of 42. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/11/42-ways-to-make-money-as-an-independent-musician.html]
- Author: admin
- Tags: Indie Music, Social Media, Startups & Funding, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:49

[![Answer_to_Life](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2017d3d32f20b970c-150wi "Answer_to_Life")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2017d3d32f20b970c-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

While often difficult, it is *never* entirely  
impossible to make a sustainable living as a musician these days. In fact, the  
[Future of Music Coalition](http://futureofmusic.org/?ref=hypebot.com) assembled a list of 42 ways that musicians can  
potentially earn money in today’s music space – demonstrating **the multitude of revenue**  
**streams** that today’s working musician must keep into account when venturing off  
into the world as an independent musician.

**SONGWRITER AND**  
**COMPOSER REVENUE**

1\. Publisher Advance

2\. Mechanical Royalties

3\. Commissions

4 Public Performance (PRO) Royalties

5\. Composing Original Works for Broadcast

6\. Synch Licenses

7\. Sheet Music Sales

8\. Ringtones Revenue

9\. ASCAPLUS Awards Program

10\. Publisher Settlement

**PERFORMER AND**  
**RECORDING ARTIST REVENUE**

11\. Salary as Member of Orchestra or  
Ensemble

12\. Shows/Performance Fees

13\. Record Label Advance

14\. Record Label Support

15\. Retail Sales

16\. Digital Sales

17\. Sales at Shows

18\. Interactive Service Payments

19\. Digital Performance Royalties

20\. AARC Royalties

21\. Neighboring Rights Royalties

22\. AFM/Secondary Markets Fund

23\. AFM/Sound Recording Special Payments

24\. AFTRA Contingent Scale

25\. Label Settlements

**SESSION MUSICIAN**  
**REVENUE**

**2**6\. Session Musician/Sideman Fees for  
Studio Work

27\. Session Musician/Sideman Fees for Live  
Work

28\. AFM/AFTRA Payments

**KNOWLEDGE OF**  
**CRAFT: TEACHING AND PRODUCING**

29\. Music Teacher

30\. Producer

31\. Honoraria or Speakers Fees

**BRAND-RELATED REVENUE**

32\. Merchandise Sales

33\. Fan Club

34\. YouTube Partner Program

35\. Ad Revenue

36\. Persona Licensing

37\. Product Endorsements

38\. Acting

**FAN, CORPORATE**  
**AND FOUNDATION FUNDING**

39\. Fan Funding

40\. Sponsorship

41\. Grants

**OTHER SOURCES OF**  
**REVENUE**

42 Arts Administrator

Source: The Future of Music Coalition

—

***Hisham Dahud*** *is a Senior Analyst for Hypebot.com. Additionally, he is the head of [Business Development](https://www.hypebot.com/social-media-the-main-driver-for-edm-ticket-purchases-more-findings-infographic/) for [Fame House](http://famehouse.net/?ref=hypebot.com)*