Get your music out where people listen

Nothing else on this list works until your songs are available. Releasing through CD Baby puts your music on more than 150 platforms worldwide. That covers the big streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, plus social platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, where a lot of listeners first find new artists.

A release alone won’t bring in listeners, so plan some promotion around it. Then work toward 1,000 streams on Spotify, the point at which your music can start earning money there.

Checklist:

  • Distribute your release to 150+ platforms through CD Baby
  • Run a proper release campaign to bring your audience in
  • Build toward 1,000 streams to unlock Spotify monetization

Collect every royalty you’re owed

A royalty is a payment owed to you whenever your music is used. Once people start streaming your songs, royalties start accruing. The source article says there are six main types and that most artists collect only one. Money you never claim is money you lose, so setting up your collection channels early matters.

The types and services covered here:

  • Micro-sync royalties. These come from your music being used in short social videos on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Opting into CD Baby’s Social Video Monetization service lets you collect them.
  • Mechanical royalties. These are collected through The Mechanical Licensing Collective.
  • Digital performance royalties. These are collected through SoundExchange.
  • Performance royalties. To collect these, register with a Performing Rights Organization (PRO). The ones named are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. You only need to join one.

Adding CDB Boost to a release handles the mechanical and digital performance royalties, so you don’t have to chase those registrations yourself.

Checklist:

  • Opt into Social Video Monetization for micro-sync royalties
  • Add CDB Boost to your release for mechanical and digital performance royalties
  • Register with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC) for performance royalties

Musicians Photo by Justice Ejele / Pexels

Sell something fans can hold

Streams are great, but some fans want to support you in a more direct way. Physical formats give them that option. The latest RIAA report, as cited by the source, showed physical media growing year over year: vinyl sales were up 18% and CD sales were up nearly 60%.

Each format has its place. Tapes and CDs are the cheapest to produce, and vinyl is the premium option. Stickers, t-shirts, and hats can round out the table. If you need help building a plan for selling it all, CD Baby has a merch guide worth reading.

Checklist:

  • Design and order physical media and merch to go with your newest release
  • Promote your products on every channel you use, with high-quality photos
  • Collect email addresses from online orders and in-person sales with a sign-up list
  • Add your merch to your social and streaming artist profiles, either directly or through a link, wherever the platform allows it

Book the right mix of live shows

Playing out can earn you money, and it’s one of the best ways to win over new fans. It also puts you in touch with other artists and their audiences. What matters is picking the right gigs at the right moments. It helps to sort shows into three types.

Headlining shows. These have the highest earning potential, and strong ticket sales can open doors to future bookings. They also take the most work to organize and promote, so don’t schedule them too close together.

Opening or support slots. You play in front of another artist’s crowd, which is good for exposure and networking. You also don’t carry the whole promotional load. The tradeoff is that these slots generally pay less.

Guaranteed-rate shows. You’re paid a set fee no matter how many tickets sell. These gigs tend to be less useful for finding new fans, since many are background-music jobs or college events.

If you haven’t played live yet, see CD Baby’s guide to booking your first show.

Checklist:

  • Look at your calendar and aim for a healthy blend of headline, support, and guaranteed shows, then book to match
  • Capture content at every show so you can promote the next one. Hire a photographer or videographer, or hand your own camera to a friend
  • Keep documentation from every performance to show promoters and booking agents

Musicians Photo by Jonathan Borba / Pexels

Build recurring income with a fan club

Plenty of artists assume that “superfans” who pay regularly only exist for big names. That isn’t true. Even early in your career, you can watch for signs that you have enough momentum to support a small fan club. Those signs include steady engagement on social media, growing crowds at your shows, and organic press coverage.

Once you see them, ask your fans what they’d want. You can poll them by email, on social media, or face to face, asking what kind of club structure and perks would appeal. You can also test interest with one-off extras, such as:

  • Secret tracks
  • Live recordings
  • Exclusive access to merch
  • Ticket presales

Checklist:

  • Start an email list now so you can reach fans directly
  • Watch for repeat buyers, strong social engagement, or steady demand from a core audience
  • Work out what your most engaged fans would pay for
  • Try a few early paid offerings, such as exclusive merch, a secret track, or small shows

Don’t try to do it all at once

You now have the main revenue streams to work with, but you don’t need to launch them all together. Start with the foundation: get your music onto the right platforms and set up the services that collect your royalties. CD Baby charges a one-time fee per release to distribute to over 150 platforms worldwide, and a free account gets you started. From there, add physical products, shows, and a fan club as your audience grows.

Everyone’s situation is different. Look at who your fans are and what you’re already doing as an artist, then decide which streams fit your goals and give your listeners something worth paying for.

Sources

The ultimate revenue checklist for musicians, diymusician.cdbaby.com