In this post, we break down the real income streams for smaller artists — and the hard truths behind them.
1. Live Gigs: Big Effort, Barely a Train Ticket
Once the cornerstone of a musician’s income, live performances have taken a hit since the (word starting with ‘p’, ending with ‘andemic’). Audiences are more selective, venue budgets tighter, and small shows often pay less than a night shift in hospitality.
Even popular local acts often earn just a few hundred €/$/£ per show and a bag of chips — split between bandmates, managers, and travel costs. For many, gigs are more about staying visible than making a living.
2. Streaming Royalties: Massive Plays, Minimal Pay
Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and others offer global reach — but not revenue.
With payouts ranging from €0.003 to €0.007 per stream, an artist would need over 250,000 streams just to buy a half-decent guitar. And then comes the amp. And effects. And strings.
Streaming is excellent for exposure, playlist placement, and fan discovery. But as a primary income source? It’s not there yet. Some artists wonder what the value in ‘exposure’ even is, if it just leads to a handful of additional streams and no income. Spend 4 hours pitching to playlists with success – and get 50 additional monthly streams equalling…. wait for it…. 3 – additional – €/$/£ – per year! 🎉
3. Merch: Great for Brand, Not for Bread
Selling t-shirts, vinyl, tote bags or stickers can be rewarding — creatively and financially. But only if there’s foot traffic at live gigs or a loyal online fanbase.
The reality: upfront inventory costs, design work, production, and fulfilment often mean low margins unless you’re moving volume. For most indie artists, merch sales are nice-to-have, not career-sustaining.
How often have you seen stacks of out-dated, over-sized shirts from previous album releases on the merch tables after gigs? Someone paid to have them printed.
4. Crowdfunding & Fan Support: Sustainable or Stressful?
Platforms like Patreon or Kickstarter promise direct fan-to-artist support. And they work — when there’s consistency and a big enough base. Each and every €/$/£ counts in a world where 1 € is the equivalent of 250 streams.
But running a successful campaign is practically a job in itself: planning, promoting, fulfilling rewards, managing expectations. For many, it becomes overwhelming fast.
5. Licensing (Sync Deals): The Gold Mine Few Can Access
Getting a song placed in a film, TV show or commercial can be a financial breakthrough. But it’s a competitive, insider-heavy world. Music supervisors are gatekeepers, and the process can take months or years.
Still, for those who crack the code, syncs can offer a real boost.
6. Side Hustles in Music: Teaching, Producing, Mixing
Many musicians support themselves by teaching their instrument, producing for other artists, or doing live/studio session work.
It pays more consistently than performing or streaming — but often at the cost of time and energy for their own art.
Why This Matters
The romantic idea of the starving artist might make for good fiction, but in reality, it’s burning out a generation of talent. That’s why platforms like Tipino are rethinking music support from the ground up.
We believe creativity shouldn’t come with a constant survival tax. Independent artists deserve a better stage to grow.
Photo by Geoffrey Arduini on Pexels