Making a Living From Music Is a Tough Gig

I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to reach a point where I could support myself and my family through music. A sustainable income. Something I could actually live on.

I had no idea. Naivety? Probably. I had that “I’m going to make it. Don’t you worry about me” state of mind, without a clue how tough the journey ahead would be.

But here we are, decades later. Wow. I don’t even want to put a real number on it. It’s been a long time.

I’m finally at a point where I’m able to provide through my music, but it is a grind. And there are so many different levels to it.

You Change Along the Way

There’s your own state of mind. Your self-esteem, confidence, belief, skill, ability, discipline, talent, and vision. All those areas need attention, fine-tuning, focus, and direction.

Then there’s the version of you that’s constantly evolving. What you thought you wanted, you no longer want. So you adjust, and that changes how you operate. It affects everything you’ve been working toward.

As time passes, that shift continues. You adjust, you shift, and you adjust again.

We’re talking about longevity. Following through on what you set out to do, with no intention of quitting, even though you may have felt like it dozens of times.

That doesn’t mean the goal stays exactly the same.

When the Music Has to Pay the Bills

When music was just a hobby, the instant gratification was playing a song for a friend or family member and saying, “Look what I wrote.”

They’d nod their head, smile, or say they loved it. Whatever that response was, it was the only payoff I needed. I'm sure you can relate.

But now we’re talking about keeping the lights on, putting food on the table, and making it through the month. That appreciation still matters, but it isn’t taking care of the necessities.

And that grind can cut into your creativity.

Keeping a nine-to-five can relieve the pressure on your music to pay the bills. That pressure affects how you create. It’s a different experience when the thing you love also has to support you.

The Landscape Keeps Changing

While all those changes are happening internally, the world outside you is shifting too.

Listening habits change. New genres evolve. Different ways of discovering music come and go. You’re trying to keep up with that while also figuring out what you actually want now, which may not be what you wanted when you started.

It’s a balancing act.

Then there’s the frustration of having your music played without that income being enough to support you because the payouts are less than half a cent per stream. It can feel unfair.

That’s why having a Bandcamp page, selling directly to fans on your website, or licensing your music directly, which is what I do through Jaapi are important pieces to the puzzle. Those are ways to maintain ownership of your music and have a more direct connection to the income it creates.

And now there’s AI music. I’m seeing more of it in the niches and genres I work in, and it feels like another layer of noise in an already challenging landscape.

So yes, it’s tough.

Finding a Way Forward

Sometimes I question why I’ve given so much of my life to music. The hours I’ve put into it are difficult to imagine putting into anything else.

If I decided to pursue a completely different career today, would I give it that same amount of time? That same focus? I don’t know.

But I’m here, and I’m still creating.

For me, moving forward means continuing to improve as a musician and producer. Learning the technologies, challenging myself, and exploring different ways to get the music out there so people can discover it.

The landscape keeps changing. Continue to adapt and figure out how to work within it and make a living without losing the part of music that made you want to do this in the first place. Keep creating...

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