How Indie Artists Are Cashing In On Show Performances

This article is basically a follow up from our most recent post talking about Rap Artists Missing Money From Sound Exchange And for who don’t know Sound Exchange collects the royalties of artists who have reported internet and satellite radio plays. The big thing here is the word REPORTED.

Radio stations are required to purchase a license from publishers or record labels to play the songs of their artists. But some times, especially with internet radio, they don’t purchase a license to play the songs because artists are doing all the submissions.

Some online and satellite radio stations think that if artists are submitting all the music why should they even bother to report it to Sound Exchange or their Performing Rights Agency. It works to their advantage because they get to keep their money while getting free music; which keeps their listeners satisfied. It’s like making millions off of free content. Again, this is not all radio stations just some.

The same is with venues artist perform at. Whether you are performing at an open mic night, talent competition, rap battle, freestyling etc. you should be getting paid to perform your music, which is copyright content. If the venue owner is paying you out of pocket that’s cool. That’s money for you coming to the venue and doing the gig. But you should also keep in mind that you should be paid additionally through your PRO from licensing fees the venue owner should of paid. It’s called a performing rights license.

As an artist I know you don’t want to worry about the business side of things. You just want to create your art and give it to the people to listen to. But there is a small problem with that. This is called the music business, not just music. I meet so many starving artists who are on the come up struggling to feed themselves as well as family.

Some of them tell me that they did close to 20 shows in 3-4 months. I asked them if they got paid; they said no. Some tell me they had tons of spins on local radio or satellite stations, and I asked them if they got paid, and they said no. Well why not?

Also Read: How Artists Can Make Money On Soundcloud

Is it all about the money though? Well it depends. Are you creating music just to give it away for free with no compensation? Or are you creating music to share with the world, while making an income to feed yourself, buy clothes, buy a home etc? Only you can answer that. You can still create a buzz and create a fan base while still making money from your music. I know 6 underground rap artists who made over 53,000 last year!

That’s good income and I’m working with them to devise more ways on how they can make even more this year. If you think that income is small you have to ask yourself, how much money did you make as an artist last year? Exactly 🙂 We want all of you to cash in on the many ways you can generate income from you music, and the ways you can do that are endless!

Key note here. Every time you perform one of your songs report it to your Performing Rights Organization. So they can go after your money. Anytime you get your songs played on any radio platform report it to Sound Exchange so that you can get paid. My friends is as simple as that. You shouldn’t be a broke rapper. Not when rap music is the biggest selling music on the planet!