5 Unconventional Ways for Musicians to Make Money

Making money as a musician isn’t just about selling music, streaming royalties, or live performances. If you're looking for alternative income streams, you’re in the right place! In this post, I’ll share five unorthodox ways to monetize your skills and generate income in the music industry.

For those that prefer video.

1. Become a Chorus Maker 🎤

Not every musician has to produce full songs—some thrive by creating just catchy choruses! Think about artists like Chris Brown or T-Pain or even Future, who have mastered the art of creating hooks that stick.

How to Get Started:

• Find instrumentals on platforms like BeatStars.

• Download a free beat and record a killer chorus over it.

• Send your finished hook to the producer and suggest adding it to their beatstore.

• If they like it, they can lease the track with your chorus included, allowing you to earn a percentage of future sales.

Bonus Tip: If you’re a producer, create two versions of your beats—one with a chorus and one without. Add a royalty percentage for the vocalist to encourage collaborations.

2. Use Music to Review Sports or News ⚽🎶

If you’re into sports or current events, why not combine that with your musical skills? Instead of just reporting news, you can add a musical twist to stand out!

How It Works:

• Choose a sport or news niche you’re passionate about (e.g., football, politics, entertainment).

• After a game or big event, create a rap review, remix, or song summarizing what happened.

• Upload your content to YouTube or TikTok to attract a unique audience.

• Over time, you could get sponsorships, monetization, or fan donations.

Example: If you support Chelsea FC, you can create a rap recap after each match, gaining both sports fans and music lovers as followers.

Long-Term Strategy: This won’t make you rich overnight, but it helps build brand recognition and expands your audience beyond traditional music listeners.

3. Create Music Sleep Aids 😴🎼

People are constantly searching for soothing music to help them sleep, focus, or meditate. If your music is tranquil and calming, this could be a profitable niche!

How to Get Started:

• Research sounds that promote relaxation, such as ambient, lo-fi, or nature-inspired music.

• Create long-form music (e.g., 30-minute to 2-hour tracks).

• Upload them to Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music as playlists.

• Sell your sleep music as digital downloads or on subscription platforms.

Pro Tip: Sleep music doesn’t need lyrics—just atmospheric sounds or slow, repetitive melodies work best.

4. Get into Sonic Branding (Sonification) 🔊

Every business or brand needs an audio identity—think of McDonald's famous "Ba-da-ba-ba-ba" jingle! This is known as sonification or sonic branding, and companies are willing to pay musicians to create unique sound logos.

How to Monetize Sonic Branding:

• Offer businesses a custom theme song or sound logo.

• Create brand soundtracks for social media, ads, and promotions.

• Sell sonic branding music on platforms like Pond5 or AudioJungle.

Example: If a coffee brand wants a unique sound for their videos, you could create a warm, inviting jingle that plays every time they post content.

Where to Sell:

• Fiverr

• Upwork

• Non-exclusive music libraries (Pond5, AudioJungle)

5. Teach Music-Infused Fitness Classes 🏋️‍♂️🎧

Highlight creative ways to make money in music, fitness and music go hand in hand! If you’re passionate about working out and have high-energy music, you can offer music-infused fitness classes.

Ways to Make Money with Music & Fitness:

• Create your own fitness class (e.g., dance workouts, HIIT classes with beats).

• Perform live DJ sets for workout sessions.

• Get your music featured in fitness influencers’ videos.

• Monetize workout playlists on Spotify or Apple Music.

Pro Tip: If you perform live at a licensed fitness venue, you can earn royalties while teaching a class. Plus, gym-goers might add your music to their playlists, increasing your streaming revenue.

Final Thoughts: Get Creative & Diversify Your Income!

Being a musician today requires creativity and adaptability. While streaming royalties and live gigs are great, these unconventional income streams can help you increase earnings and reach new audiences.

Recap – 5 Unorthodox Ways to Make Money as a Musician:

• Become a Chorus Maker 🎤

• Use Music for Sports or News Reviews 🎶⚽

• Create Music Sleep Aids 😴🎼

• Sonic Branding & Sonification 🔊

• Teach Music-Infused Fitness Classes 🏋️‍♂️🎧

Which of these ideas do you want to try first? Drop a comment below and let’s discuss!

Until next time,

Skill | Founder of SkillMusicSA.com and MusicBizBySkill.com