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How do smaller artists make money?


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Old 05-06-2016, 22:18
Edward Skylover
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Was just thinking, some artists, like one of my faves Jai Waetford, seem to release EPs once a year (like he has been doing for the last 3 years) but they never get in the charts. He has like 400k followers on Instagram and about 25k likes on each photo, has been doing a European promo tour, but how do small artists like this make money?

Likewise someone like Troye Sivan. Do the record companies just plough money into them for a couple of years hoping they'll eventually be a massive success?
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Old 05-06-2016, 23:42
Ænima
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Even a lot of moderately successful artists don't make a massive amount from album sales, depending on the deal they have with their record companies.

Only the really huge artists become millionaires off the back of album sales alone. Most record companies take so much cut, you'll give the band more money directly (by far) by just paying to go and see them live.

Most of the smaller artists get by on tours. Some smaller bands actually do pretty well for themselves if they have good underground followings and pretty much live on the road. They'll make decent money if they pack out a venue and sell a load of t-shirts.
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Old 06-06-2016, 08:52
Glawster2002
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Even a lot of moderately successful artists don't make a massive amount from album sales, depending on the deal they have with their record companies.

Only the really huge artists become millionaires off the back of album sales alone. Most record companies take so much cut, you'll give the band more money directly (by far) by just paying to go and see them live.

Most of the smaller artists get by on tours. Some smaller bands actually do pretty well for themselves if they have good underground followings and pretty much live on the road. They'll make decent money if they pack out a venue and sell a load of t-shirts.
A lot of the smaller bands I know are semi-professional these days, combining the band with a day job.

The likes of Pledgemusic has been a real bonus for them because it allows them to cover the cost of their CD, or certainly a large part of it, before its recorded. With regards touring, for most if they cover all their costs and perhaps have enough left over for a cou8ple of beers, that is a success.

Most people in smaller bands do it for the love of the music, these days, not to become millionaires.
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Old 06-06-2016, 16:08
callmediva
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The short answer is that we don't.

As a band we make very little, either through releases or shows, however we do earn decent amounts as song writers, that it where the money is these days, if you can get a sing picked up by a major artist or a sync deal, then so much the better
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Old 06-06-2016, 16:31
Thorney
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Troye Sivan is a 2nd tier priority act and will be getting loads of help from his record company and he is starting to make inroads , he is streaming well just but not quite enough for top 40.

He is lucky there are 1000s of bands and artists that are doing everything themselves and struggling to make a living like the poster above.
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Old 06-06-2016, 20:39
Tejas
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Troye Sivan is a 2nd tier priority act and will be getting loads of help from his record company and he is starting to make inroads , he is streaming well just but not quite enough for top 40.

He is lucky there are 1000s of bands and artists that are doing everything themselves and struggling to make a living like the poster above.
Yes I'd hardly count him as a small act in relation to some, as his label must be putting a fair bit into the project.

Recently I saw an artist I follow on Twitter promoting a gig featuring them and three other acts - tickets were priced at £5. £5 to see four acts! How any of them make money out of that I don't know, but I find it very sad. I bet it struggled to sell out as well - a lot of smaller acts struggle to get bookings as venues would rather book tribute bands or even DJs as people want to go for a night out and hear songs they already know well.
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