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Mar 18, 2021
Music Industry Keeps On spinning, Artists Scramble to Replace Reliable Sources of Revenue
December 2, 2012
[…]”Demand for music hasn’t gone down one iota. It’s actually increased. But it’s been effectively devalued,” Navarro said from his California home as he prepares for a swing through the Midwest this week. “To make it viable (has meant) a return to an old system, the oldest part of which is to do it yourself.”
Jean Cook, a musician, producer and director of programs for the artists’ advocacy group Future of Music Coalition, points out that none of these emerging revenue sources is entirely new.
“Fan-funding is something that’s gotten a lot of attention, especially because of Amanda Palmer,” Cook said. “But it’s something that’s existed a really long time if you go back to patronage and classical music 100 years ago.”
Cook’s coalition has identified 42 potential music revenue sources, though no single artist benefits from all of them. A singer-songwriter might be able to tap into, say, 25, while a session musician or classical artist might be able to draw from no more than a handful. Beyond the obvious are ring tones, YouTube partnerships, persona licensing, teaching and speaking engagements.[…]