Earning money as a musician can be challenging. In between touring and writing new material, it can feel like there’s little room to sustain your business. Thankfully, there are plenty of free tools to help you earn a living on-road or off-road as a musician.
Below, we’ll share some alternative revenue sources for musicians so that you can focus more of your time and energy on your art.
7 Ways To Earn Passive Income As A Musician
Most musicians only think about streaming, sync deals, and touring profits when it comes to earning income. Here are 7 ways to earn money as a musician that you might not have considered:
1. Send Fans A Shoutout
Shoutout allows you to monetize sending custom video greetings to your fans. Whether your listeners have cover requests, want to see you freestyle, or just want to get to know you on a deeper level, Shoutout can fill these needs while earning you extra cash. Monetize your fan videos all while deepening your connection with your audience.
What Is A Koji?
A Koji is a type of interactive media that can help you sell your products, downloads, services or premium content. To create a Koji, simply select a template and customize before sharing the unique URL on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, or anywhere else!
2. Sell Premium Audio
Do you have your own sample packs? Are there any unreleased demos your fans keep asking about? Turn these requests into cash with Locked Audio. This link in bio allows you to lock any audio file or sound pack behind a pay wall, allowing your fans to preview and purchase directly in your link in bio. You can use just about any audio file you’d like, but consider these suggestions to kick off your creativity:
- Share live versions of tracks
- Remixes
- Beats and Instrumentals
- Sound FX
- Samples and Loop packs
- Accapella vocals
- DJ tags
- Original demos
- Unreleased tracks
- Meditation tracks
- Multi-tracks or stems
You can also use Digital Files Storefront to sell multiple sounds and packs within the same Koji.
3. Ask Your Fans For Support
While this may sound obvious, too often musicians miss out on willing support from their listeners by neglecting to ask for it. Kojis like Tip Jar+ are much more accessible for fans and artists than a site like Patreon, since it’s hosted directly in your link in bio. Your fans can tip you with a single-click transaction. You can also offer up free downloadable files in exchange for tips, but this is completely up to the artist!
4. Sell Your Merchandise
You don’t have to commit to a long-term service like Shopify to start profiting from your creativity. The Sell Physical Products Koji lets you list, sell, and collect shipping information for products directly from your bio link. From stickers to vinyls to band t-shirts, your link in bio is quickly transformed into a personalized art storefront.
If you happen to have a Shopify store, you can embed your storefront directly into your link in bio with the Shopify Storefront Koji.
5. Sell Some Soul
Turn your fans queries into cash with Ask Me Anything. This Koji allows fans to “boost” questions for you to answer using tips of their choosing. It’s a great way to strengthen your relationship with fans all while earning extra cash.
6. Create A Guide
Is your vocal chain to die for? Do you have some music-making secrets other artists could benefit from? Take your expertise and transform into into passive income with Sell Digital Files. This Koji lets you upload files of any kind and sell them at a price of your choice.
7. Crowdfund Your Art
At the very least, your fans are more than willing to help you fund your next project. Use the Fund My Project Koji to enlist the support of your audience for music videos, albums, photoshoots and more. You can provide custom incentives and updates along the way, creating a unique fan experience.
Earning Money As A Musician FAQ
Are you ready to start earning money in your link in bio? Here are some key questions and answers musicians should consider while monetizing their art:
Musicians typically earn a good chunk of income from streaming revenue, touring, and synchronization deals. Kojis and customized fan experiences can help any dedicated musician earn more passive income.
Musicians make money remotely by crafting unique, monetizeable fan experiences that can be consumed and enjoyed from afar. Kojis like Locked Audio, Ask Me Anything and Shoutout can help you make this dream a reality.
Any monetizable musician has put in the work to create great art and cultivate a fanbase. From there, you can use traditional streams of income and earn from your link in bio to build a sustainable music career.
Hence, there isn’t one right way to make a living as a musician. Hopefully, these Kojis exemplify that every musician can make a living so long as they are willing to deepen their connection with fans. Have fun connecting with your audience and earning dollars along the way!