How To Not Make Money Making Music

UPDATE: Please see end of this post for news!

Apologies — this may be a longish blog today, but I got inspired by a text from a friend this morning. First, a huge hat tip to Mr. Mark McCann — longtime friend, former roommate, and someone with whom I have shared many long, deep, and wonderful conversations. This morning he texted:

I’m glad that “I Got Mine”* came up on his list – the algorithm is working!

However, the story is complicated and deserves a really good explanation of how practicing artists and musicians actually try to eke out a living doing what we do.

Time was, musicians would try to “make it big” by cutting an album, paying off DJs, getting radio airplay, and then selling a lot of vinyl (“plasticware,” as The Byrds said).

Starting in the early 2000s, things changed significantly. Streaming platforms meant that physical manifestations of music became rare.

Since I am affiliated with them, ASCAP** collects royalties for me whenever my music is played on streaming services or on terrestrial radio (the kind of radio that some of us grew up with). Here is my statement so far for 2025:

You’ll notice a significant difference between my U.S. and international earnings. It’s not that I’m disproportionately popular in Germany – instead quite a bit of it has to do with how Spotify changed its policy last year (I wrote about that some time ago).

However, the overall observation remains: artists, on the whole, are not making very much when their music is played on streaming services. The streaming services make a considerable amount of money, but we do not. We do get the benefit of the algorithms spreading our music, which is helpful.

So, what’s a working musician to do?

Well, on the whole, this is what we do:

1. Ticket and merch sales – Either online or at performances, merch is the best way you can support your favorite artists, especially if they’re small and independent. We love making music, and for the great majority of us, it’s something we do because we love it. Most of us have other jobs to pay the bills, eat, and keep a roof over our heads.

But every little bit helps. Buying that CD you don’t have a player for, or that T-shirt you’ll only ever wear at the band’s next show, makes it a little easier for us to keep making art. Bandcamp is also a great place to find media and merch, and they support us nicely.

2. Direct support – If an artist has made you smile, think, feel, or even pause for a moment as you walk down the street, go ahead and drop them a buck or two. Or send them something via Venmo or PayPal. I can’t stress this enough: we love making music, and in many cases we simply can’t help it. We’re just wired this way. Our hearts and our brains are connected in a way that compels us to share these things. If the music speaks to you, please help us keep doing it.

Thank you — as ever and always.

-Chris

UPDATE 19 AUGUST:

So, funny thing…

I got my ASCAP statement yesterday, and somehow I MADE $138 IN ROYALTIES internationally last quarter!

Apparently, both “Oblivion” (back from 2015) and “In The End” have been downloaded A LOT in both Germany and in the UK. I have no clue why or by who, but this is awesome!!!! (And weirdly coincidental, given the timing of this blog)

*“I Got Mine” is a song about growing income inequality in our society. Ironic then that it is the song that inspired this discussion.

**ASCAP is the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, and – along with BMI – is one of the premier songwriter professional rights organizations in the world. In addition to collecting royalties on my behalf, membership also includes a variety of perks (including discounted health insurance for those of us who live in uncivilized countries!)