“I recommend my students not to be professional unless they really have to be. I tell them, ‘If you love music, sell Hoovers or be a plumber. Do something useful with your life.”
Robert Fripp
This may seem a bit harsh but the public perception of what it’s like to be a professional performer is very different from the reality that many imagine. I say “professional performer” as the commercial reality of needing to earn an income from music means a whole bunch of very specific considerations.
This year I have had the opportunity to talk to a number of established musicians and ask the business aspect of “the music business” and especially the ability for artists to earn a living. Often members of the public have the incorrect perception that performers are earning millions of pounds and living in mansions or at the very least detached houses. The reality is of course very different and even the most established international artists have to work at an extraordinary rate a respectable living.
The observations in this article come from talking to three different artists. One plays UK gigs but is not a fulltime musician. The other is an international artist who has won numerous awards and is respected as one of the most skilled musicians in his genre. The third one fronts a band that tours internationally and has literally sold millions of albums worldwide. The second two artists both have longstanding record deals. What all three artists have in common is a serious work ethic and our conversations have really highlighted that earning even a modest living form being a musical artist is no easy matter.
The Record Company model
When many people see reality shows like “The X Factor” and hear talk of major financial opportunities, they imagine that the artist becomes instantly wealthy. The reality is of course very different. Back in 2011 The Guardian had an article on this very issue with some interesting observations
“The X Factor has dropped the “£1m recording contract” top prize. Apparently this happened in 2009, but contestants were sworn to secrecy, so the change has only now come to light. The contracts this year’s finalists have been asked to sign give them an advance of “just” £150,000 for their first album, according to the Sun. The advances for the follow-up albums increase by just under £100,000 with every release, which means the act would have to release four albums to earn a million pounds. No act has so far managed to reach that point before being dropped.”
Robert Fripp released a series of audio books talking about both music and the music business which are quite fascinating. On one of these he lamented any news of bands signing record contracts from his own personal experience as an artist. He spent years battling his old record company over contract issues and until recent times all but retired from performing as an artist.
“When a record company makes a mistake, the artist pays for it. When a manager makes a mistake, the artist pays for it. When the artist makes a mistake, the artist pays for it.”
Robert Fripp
Show me the money!
The internet and downloads have been a game changer for performing artists. The good news is that any artist can put music online. The bad news is that any artist can put music online. The two artists I talked two both have very niche followings created over a long period of time. There’s an old saying in show business “It takes ten years to become an overnight success” Many performers simply don’t have the stamina. I remember in 1970s reading that guitarist and lead singer for the band Television was still working part time in a New York book store even when the highly acclaimed album “Marquee Moon” was released. Many performers today I know supplement their incomes from private teaching especially when for every CD sold they may earn just a few percent. That percentage will of course be even less if they are not the writer of the material.
One of the ways to generate substantial income is to have one of your songs featured in a blockbuster movie. This happened to Nick Lowe with “What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding”
“In 1992, this was covered by Curtis Stigers for the Whitney Houston film, The Bodyguard. The film’s soundtrack album went on to sell 44 million copies worldwide, landing Lowe a large royalty check. Lowe told The Telegraph: “It was a tremendous piece of good fortune. I made an astonishing amount of money from that.”
Rumor has it that Lowe opened up his mail to discover a cheque for 1m dollars from this particular track!
Of course this particular occurrence is a combination of the right song in the right place at the right time. That’s not in my experience an everyday occurrence!
The average working artist needs to build up their own client base to generate public awareness that can ultimately translate into actual cash. For most musicians this means taking the long view in terms of playing live and choosing the right gigs. It’s easy to be busy and earn zero money from live performances as promoters assure you “It’s great exposure” BUT that doesn’t pay the bills. Merchandise has also become a great source of income and its clear to me that artists need to have a distinctive image that is as recognizable as their music.
My own experience is that having access to and/or generating money can make a massive difference. My international friend talked of studio time being a thousand pounds per day, so the record company can have you in hock for a very long time. I think it’s possible to earn money from being a musician, but you need multiple income streams and predictability of income is invaluable. Residences and regular festivals can make a big difference. Being an independent artist can assure you of better unit value for CDs but you have to use your own promotional methods and companies like Ditto and CD Baby can be invaluable. Ultimately in my view you have to love what you are doing for everything to ultimately work out, both financially and musically.
