Songwriting As A Livelihood

Songwriting As A Livelihood

Many people I’ve talked with have a somewhat romanticized notion of writing songs, hearing them on radio or in a movie, and watching the money roll in.  If you are one of those folks, or even if you have less lofty ideas for making money as a songwriter, please let me offer a few observations which might be useful for you.

First and foremost be aware that the business of songwriting has changed dramatically in the last decade, and it continues to change and evolve constantly.  And yes, I said business, because the money side of songwriting is business.  The advent of digital music and streaming services have radically changed the potential cash flow for a songwriter, slashing the revenue return even for hit writers.  I won’t detail it here, but please do your homework, and learn what the true potentials are.

As in any business, it takes a while to become established, learn the ropes, and begin to see some return.  My advice is be sure you have, or can create, a reliable source of revenue to support yourself before relying on income from songwriting.  I’ve seen many, many disillusioned songwriters come and go in Nashville because they were unable to support themselves by writing.

To be successful as a business you must spend money. The days of walking into a publishing house and having them welcome you with open arms and pay all your demo costs have long since passed, with very rare exceptions.  Ditto landing a paid staff job with a publisher.  So, this means you must be prepared to invest your own resources in producing demos, buying equipment, paying for materials, networking and many other things.  The cost of quality full production demos in Nashville runs about $700 to over $1000, and sometimes considerably more for extras.  Radio ready masters are even more.

Know that getting a song contract signed with a publisher doesn’t guarantee that your song will ever be recorded, or that you will receive income from it.  And if you do, remember publishers don’t work for nothing.  A typical publisher will have hundreds, or thousands of songs in their catalogs at any given time.  They make money on their share of royalties from songs they get recorded, so you are facing a lot of internal competition to even have your song presented to an artist representative.  Make sure you understand any contract you sign, and preferably get an experienced entertainment attorney to review it prior to signing it (another expense from your pocket).

One last thing:  Beware of sharks in the waters of the music business.  It is, and always has been, a pretty tough environment.  Move carefully, get good advice, check references, and use common sense to avoid common, and not so common pitfalls.

It’s not all gloom and doom out there.  It is possible to make it, and some do.  But the numbers are far smaller than in the past.  Also, there are many other kinds of revenue sources you can explore, such as film, tv, and advertising licensing.  Again, the competition for these opportunities is fierce.  If you are a singer/songwriter you have the possibility of making money performing and selling merchandise at your shows. 

I have just scratched the surface on this subject, but I sincerely hope this information can help you on your songwriting journey.

Best wishes for success!