Interested in making six-figures as a musician?

Look. Despite what everyone else out there is saying, I understand most musicians don’t do it for the money.

Most of us just want to live, sleep, eat, and breathe our art.

Am I right?

But there’s a reason you’re here. Maybe you know, think, or suspect six-figures is possible. Maybe you’re tired of settling for peanuts when you know some bands are raking in the dough.

Want to know the exciting truth?

You’re 100% right.

Earning a six-figure salary isn’t just possible. It’s been done. Time and time again, by musicians most would not consider household names. Without a real estate portfolio (looking at you, Taylor!).

So, let’s look at the steps involved in making six-figures and beyond as a musician.

Step #1 – Accept no Substitute in Creating Your Six-Figure Salary

There are good ways of getting to six-figures and bad ways of getting there.

The good ways are honest, authentic, and lead to fast results.

The bad ways are slow, grueling, and at times, less than scrupulous.

I don’t think we need to spend ages on this, but we do need to face some harsh truths:

• Hope is not a strategy (you can’t just “publish and wait”).
• “Getting discovered” is a not a strategy (it’s little more than a plot device in a movie).
• Becoming social media famous is not a strategy (do you understand how many people are competing with you?).

Generally, these are all losing propositions in building a rock-solid online business.

So, what do we do instead? It’s not just about getting on Spotify playlists (which can also be an uphill battle).

It’s about being clear on what your role is in getting yourself to six-figures.

And your role is to take the reigns. Develop the skill sets necessary to achieving those ends.

If we can sort that out, the rest becomes a walk in the park.

If you can be at cause rather than effect, earning a six-figure salary may begin to feel like a cakewalk.

There may appear to be easier paths to walk. You may be distracted by shiny looking alternatives. But if you want to make a six-figure income, you can’t accept any substitutes. You’ve got to put your blinders on and get to work!

Step #2 – Use Your Neck-Top Computer Wisely in Building Your Own Business

We DON’T need to become publishers, digital marketers, or entrepreneurs to get to six-figures as musicians.

Growing in those areas and developing these skill sets will doubtless make a huge difference for you.

But the main thing we need to get ourselves to accept is that we’re the captains of our destiny.

You are the captain of your destiny. Share on X

Once you’ve taken full responsibility for yourself, your actions, and everything that happens at a granular level…

• Your schedule…
• What you do with your time…
• How you prioritize…
• And so on…

We can get ourselves to the point of being fully in control of the variables we can control…

And letting go of the variables we cannot.

Note: learning specific skills is well within your control!

(And if you haven’t already picked up your free copy of Productivity, Performance & Profits Blackbook, I’m sorry to say, you’re not taking this very seriously. It’s the ultimate productivity playbook that will teach you all the ins and outs of getting things done in your online business. This post will wait. Sign up for your copy immediately.)

A couple of years ago, I interviewed author, entrepreneur, and musician Andy Seth (A-Luv) on the podcast, and he said his greatest challenge was getting mastery over self. Wow.

What’s important to understand is we’re never truly in control of ourselves. We are always in the process of getting in control.

But there’s one thing that will make all the difference, and that’s investing in your growth.

The people who are on their way to achieving anything of significance are always investing heavily in their growth.

You were born with the amazing capacity to learn. And you can keep learning. You NEVER have to stop learning.

If you get on that path and stay on it, you will tap into your amazing God-given capacity to become more than you are right now.

My book, The Essential Guide to Music Entrepreneurship is all of that in a concise, easy to read volume.

But I also recommend a look at my online courses, including:

• Entrepreneurial Essentials for Musicians Masterclass
• Digital Marketing Essentials for Musicians
• The Code Breaker Course

If you say you’re “growing,” and you’re not investing in online courses (at the very least, you need a Udemy subscription to build your skill sets), I can’t take you very seriously.

Either way, if you want to learn more, make sure to join my newsletter.

Step #3 – Achieve Crystal Clarity on Your Brand

Again, we don’t need to become full-fledged, risk-taking, night-grinding entrepreneurs to figure out our brand.

This part is quite simple.

Because it’s all about understanding your why.

If you can clearly define your reasons for existing as a musician, the difference you want to make, and the impact you have on the world, everything else will fall into place.

Most importantly, it will help guide every decision you make.

Know it or not, there are many questions that will come up on your journey to generating six-figures:

• What should our website look like?
• Should we take this gig or not?
• What emails do we send our fans?
• Is it okay to release music in another genre?
• Should we put our music up on Spotify?
• Shoud we approach small businesses with our music?
• And oh, so many more…

Your brand can act as your North Star. But only if you’ve defined it with crystal clarity.

If you’d like to learn more about how this works, check out author Simon Sinek’s TED Talk on starting with “why”:

(You can also get Simon’s book, Start with Why for a deeper dive.)

Note that you can, and it’s even advisable, to combine your realizations about yourself with proper market research. The following tools can come in quite handy in helping you understand your audience better:

• AnswerThePublic
• BuzzSumo
• Google Analytics
• Google Keyword Planner
• Google Trends
• Similarweb
• …and any other stats (dashboards) you already have access to, such as your own website, social media stats, Spotify for Artists, and your email marketing service.

My book, The Essential Guide to Creative Entrepreneurship also helps you figure out your brand.

Either way, if you want to learn more, make sure to join my newsletter.

Step #4 – Play Nice & Make Friends

Despite all the well-documented jerks in the music industry, being one is a sure road to failure.

And restoring a bad reputation can require a huge amount of time and effort.

So, if making tens of thousands of dollars is your goal, do what most people don’t do:

Play nice and make friends!

I know. It might strike you as a little confronting and scary.

But this is EXACTLY how I got invited to play guitar on several albums, accompany various singer-songwriters on stage, NEVER have to book a gig of my own, and even earn $800 per gig.

Is that result worth it!?

The problem is we overthink the process.

All you need to do is get to know people. Be a good hang.

You know that you can meet people on the internet and gradually build your confidence that way, right?

I recommend creating a Dream 100 list. A list of 100 (or more) people who you’d like to connect and partner with. Most importantly, they should have access to the audience you want to reach.

Think about how easy this is. All you’ve got to do is join their email list, follow them on social media, comment on their blog posts, maybe buy some of their products, and bit by bit, build a relationship with them until the opportunity to collaborate arises.

And NO target is too lofty, assuming you’re committed to the process long-term, so THINK BIG.

Would you like to connect with JAY-Z, Beyoncé, Marianas Trench, Justin Bieber, or Ed Sheeran?

NOTHING is beyond the realm of possibility if you just work at it.

It’s cheesy and trite, but it’s true:

Your net worth is in your network.

If you’re serious about earning a six-figure salary in your online business, grow your network. This investment will pay off in droves.

Step #5 – Set Up Your Online Properties

I don’t know anyone who’s making a six-figure salary that doesn’t have their online business properties in order.

And yes, I’m still talking about musicians, but…

Whether it’s real estate agents, entrepreneurs running a dropshipping business, coders in computer science, or otherwise, no one is making multiple six-figures that hasn’t figured this out.

At minimum, you need:

• Your own website (like yourownwebsite.com, not an Instagram profile)
• A blog (which should be integrated into your website builder)
• An email list (we’ll talk more about this momentarily)
• Social media channels (even if you don’t end up using them, you still want to register them)

I see many artists trying to make a six-figure income without a proper online presence, and all I can say is…

They’re kidding themselves.

They’re hoping to get something for nothing. They’re trying to earn more money without spending more money. Or, they’re just not in the know.

But now that you’re in the know, you have no excuse.

If you’re serious about creating a six-figure salary for yourself, create a strong digital presence and update it frequently.

In Creative Mind and Success, author Earnest Holmes offers the example of a physical store. He says that a business owner looking to attract new business should make it seem like there is always something new happening at their place of business, constantly reorganizing shelves and merchandise.

(Which means, even if there isn’t anything new in your career, you should make it seem like there is.)

The concept translates well to the online world, whether it’s posting to social media, adding a new blog post to your site, or uploading a video to YouTube.

Even if nothing is currently happening in your career, you can still refresh your photos and website.

If you want to generate more sales, you’re going to need to do things you aren’t currently doing, and if this sounds foreign, go back and read steps #1 and #2 until the idea sinks in. The formula for success is hidden in these two points.

Step #6 – Build Your Relationship List (NOT Your Email List)

Yes, we are talking about email, and it is the most important aspect of your online business…

BUT.

We want to treat the people who sign up for our emails like REAL PEOPLE.

You get into trouble when you think in terms of users or avatars or target audience or whatever ultimately dehumanizes your fans and turns them into numbers.

We want to remember that people all have the same basic goals, dreams, and desires, and every day, we have the opportunity to improve their lives and add value to them, whether it’s helping them find a job or making them smile.

(Generating more value is the foundation to generating greater income in life!)

Generating more value is the foundation to generating greater income in life! Share on X

Because let’s face it…

It doesn’t do you much good to have a huge, disengaged email list.

It’s far more desirable to have a small, engaged list.

In the battle between the two, an engaged list wins every time. Because an engaged list will come to your shows, buy your merch, and stick their neck out for you when you need it most.

But if you can attract and create a huge, engaged list, that is the ideal!

Critically, an email subscriber is worth $1 per month. So, can you reverse-engineer how to create a six-figure salary based on your subscriber count? You bet you can!

There are also a lot of great tips in this interview I did with musician coach Cheryl B. Engelhardt:

Again, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t build your list big.

I want you to build it as big as possible, while maintaining a sense of authenticity about the whole thing.

Like your email list is your little tribe (because it is).

Begin doing EVERYTHING in your power to build your email list daily. If you start and end your day thinking about how to grow your email list, I promise your mind will present you with answers.

By the way, you can find the best email marketing services for artists here.

Step #7 – Create Multiple Streams of Income for Your Online Business

To achieve your financial goals, you might need to think a little outside the box, and tap into a few revenue streams you’ve never paid attention to before…

The key to a six-figure salary is building multiple revenue streams and doing it in a sustainable way.

As much as possible, you want to find complementary revenue streams that don’t require you to add a million new tasks to your to-do list.

Selling your music is just the beginning (though there are SO many ways to repurpose and bundle up your music).

You can…

• Begin selling print on demand merch through Printful
• License your music on a platform like Marmoset
• Contribute your music to HITRECORD projects
• Ask for tips online using PayPal
• Sell both digital and physical merch on Sellfy
• List your music-related services on freelancing platforms like Fiverr
• And more…

People often ask:

“Are there REALLY that many opportunities to make money in music, David?”

The answer is yes, yes, and yes!

Because the above is just the tip of the iceberg.

I’ve never been accused of being ill-informed when it comes to making money, because I’m always cognizant of the many revenue streams available.

Looking for more ways to earn more money? I’ve written extensively about this in my books, The New Music Industry as well as The Music Entrepreneur Code.

Either way, if you want to learn more, make sure to join my newsletter.

Step #8 – Focus Ferociously

Once you’ve got all the pieces in place, building a six-figure music career becomes about JUST ONE THING.

And that one thing is – you guessed it – FOCUS.

Trying to build a presence on EVERY social media platform? Good luck with that… That’s not how you’re going to get to six-figures.

It’s going to come down to a dogged determination to master one platform, build traction with it, and then (and only then) adding new channels to your strategy.

Want to hear something crazy?

You can earn as much as seven-figures if you just focus on one channel, build a Dream 100 list of prospects on that channel, and find opportunities to collaborate with the people on that list.

(Thanks goes to Russell Brunson for this tip.)

That’s it!

Again, I ask – is that result worth it?

You’ve got to show up consistently. You’ve got to do something to move towards your goals daily.

But you’re going to put in a lot of work anyway. Might as well dig a mile deep and an inch wide instead of the other way around, because you’re not going to find traction that way.

Make Six Figures from Home

Here I will recap the many powerful principles, concepts, and practical steps you’ve learned today.

I also want to reinforce the fact that you can make a six-figure salary from home, and you don’t even need a college degree! Gigging and touring is not a requirement to earning your desired level of income.

The truth that so many people have a hard time accepting is the fact that you can make more money working fewer hours if you do this right! It doesn’t need to become a full-time job unless you want it to be.

So, I’m not you, but if I were, I would pay close attention to these closing words:

• Make up your mind. Get off the fence. You’re either “yes” or “no.” The only place pain exists is in the murky middle, and the opportunity cost is too high to stay there.
• Do something every day to grow. Read a book. Listen to audio programs. Take courses. Talk to a coach. Go to conferences. If possible, do all the things daily!
• Establish your brand. Who are you for? Draw a line in the sand and align everything you do, including the clothing you wear, and the language you use, with your brand identity.
• Build your Rolodex. Besides your mindset, the number one thing stopping you from generating a six-figure salary is your connections. Put a greater emphasis on building worthwhile relationships, and if necessary, set some goals around networking.
• Set up your online presence. No artist is getting anywhere with this if they don’t have a proper digital presence (and if they are, it’s only because they’ve paid for streams or views). Your online reputation is your ticket to success.
• Grow your list. Preferably, grow an email list. Text/SMS lists are okay, customer lists are even better. Your list is worth (at least) $1 per subscriber per month.
• Diversify your income sources. Do this the smart way. Leverage opportunities that don’t require a ton of additional work. Try different things until you find the ones that work. Don’t buy into the Spotify delusion.
• Maintain your focus. Once the decision has been made, don’t second-guess it. Only seek out people, resources, and events that affirm your path, and only pay attention to the things that reaffirm it.
• Bonus tip. I’ve pointed you to many worthwhile resources throughout this guide. If you’re committed to your success, then take affirmative action by watching all the videos and buying everything suggested and devour it as fast as you can. Not to sound like a broken record, but you’re kidding yourself if you can’t at least make that type of investment in your own business and success.

Final Thoughts – 6-Figures isn’t the Upper Limit…

Author David Hooper (of Music Business Radio) has a book called Six-Figure Musician.

And, in it, he says six-figures isn’t the upper limit. Musicians can climb so much higher than that.

He just wanted to make sure the book was still digestible (and sounded realistic) to musicians like us.

By no means is six-figures the limit.

You know what that means? Getting to six-figures is not as hard as it looks…

With the above steps as your guide, you can reach the mountaintop. You can even make well over six-figures.

Do you have any questions? Any “aha’ moments that reached out and grabbed you?

Let me know in the comments below!