Selling music is tricky right now, with so many fans turning to streaming services for their music.  However, this means the field is wide open for successful indie artists to innovate and find new ways of selling music.

There’s still plenty of potential for revenue out there; you just may have to go a little further to grab ahold of it.

Tips For Selling Music In 2015

1 – Become a PRO

That is, join a Performance Rights Organization, like ASCAP or BMI if you’re in the US.  They’re inexpensive for artists to join and, in return for your dues, they’ll hunt down and pay you royalties on performances of your work.  These are usually paid quarterly.  

This is especially critical with streaming music becoming common.  Many of the large streaming sites, like Spotify or YouTube/Google Music won’t even talk to individual artists directly.  If your material is on their systems, you need a PRO on your side to get the royalties you’re owed. 

2 – Do More (Virtual?) Live Shows  

Recorded music is a cheap commodity which can be easily reproduced.  A live performance is completely unique, and it’s the most valuable thing that an indie musician has to offer.  You should be doing whatever it takes to do as many gigs as possible.

One option that’s on the table is doing virtual shows.  At this point, streaming video services can handle a live music broadcast to pretty much anywhere.  “Live From The Studio (Apartment)” might not have quite the same ring to it, but it’s a way of connecting bands to parties that couldn’t afford a live-in-the-room act.

3 – Work On Commission 

Don’t forget that your compositional talents can be sold!  Computers can’t write good music, so there’s still a lot of demand for bands-for-hire, especially if you can provide the creative side.  Writing anthems for corporate training videos isn’t glamorous, but it can be good money.  

Plus, it keeps your name circulating among those with money.  A few commissioned work-for-hire pieces could easily fund more personal\interesting projects.

Selling music in 2015 will be tricky.  What are your ideas?