Throughout all the changes the music industry has experienced over the past few years, the musician’s main concern has remained the same as ever — how to make a sustainable income. And although it may seem that each new technological advance has only dealt a further monetary blow to artists, some platforms have actually emerged to help the modern musician make some money on the side. We’ve done our research and picked 5 of the best:
Vinyl was invented in the nineteenth century, so it hardly seems the likeliest way for the modern musician to make money. But by connecting it with music lovers on demand, Tokyo-based Qrates are bringing vinyl into the 21st century; artists simply upload their audio, design a label and Qrates will take care of the pressing and delivering of the disc. You can use the site either to take pledges for a crowdfunding project, or to take preorders for a record that’s ready to drop — you’re also given direct access to backers, customers and the Qrates team.
Uber and Airbnb transformed travel and transport through peer-to-peer sharing; now Fat Llama and Encore are doing the same to the music industry. Fat Llama is an online marketplace for lending and borrowing (almost) anything, including musical instruments and equipment of all kinds — from keyboards to omnichords, double basses to didgeridoos. Encore, by contrast, connects musicians with event organisers (who can compare quotes, reviews and videos, and then book an act through the site)
Nuno Oliveira (a session drummer and member of bands Canoe Duo and RESET) is a user of both platforms. He says: “I use Encore because it’s a great way to get booked for gigs, speak directly with the customer and have all of the fees and gig details at the ready and organised. I use Fat Llama because it’s a fantastic way of getting stuff done, without having to buy certain products that would otherwise be a big investment.”
And if you’ve already gone ahead and made that investment in expensive music equipment that you’re not using? Try listing it for rental on Fat Llama, and you could earn the money back.
If you were under the impression that being a musician meant you could avoid ever having to learn what the blockchain is — you were mistaken. Musicoin is bringing the transparency of the blockchain ledger system to music: both a platform that streamlines the process of musical revenue generation and distribution and a currency designed for paying artists directly and instantly, it’s not the easiest concept to wrap your head around. Put simply, the company promises “100% free streaming for listeners, industry best compensation for musicians” by eliminating the need for intermediaries between artists and their fans.
But you don’t need to be a cryptocurrency expert to use the platform. Just get yourself verified as a professional musician on the site, upload your tracks and design your licensing agreement. And then, hopefully, the streams will follow.
Artisound
Using Artisound to find royalty-free music for your media project means you can rest easy — the artist will be paid a fair 50%, whatever the processes and costs involved. The platform was created by Yann Ireland, a musician and entrepreneur who wanted to bring a more human touch to a marketplace increasingly driven by algorithms. Yann is the curator and gatekeeper of Artisound’s music catalogue, and personally selects each of the tracks that go into it. Submit your music for Yann to review here — but be warned that not everything makes it past his well-trained ears…
Courtesy of Fat Llama
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