Being a musician expertly sounds like a fairly sweet idea for many people. Concerts, the road and some think, a ton of money. However, it's not much of a living, even for groups that get a ton of attention, as the cost of touring is through the roof.
Difficult to live as a rock band
Not everyone can just get on a fancy tour bus and start touring their band. In fact, most band or artist tours do not contain groupies, partying and a lot of cash as you might assume.
If you were touring, you would be ready to make more than $1,500 a month in a record deal opening for some pretty big bands. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione in The Dresden Dolls. They had a record deal and never made more than that, according to a 2007 NPR interview.
They will only be getting $18,000 a year, which is not a lot and only really happens if they tour year round.
CD sales may bring them just a little bit more cash considering they get $1 off every CD sale.
Depends on the band
A mid-level group such as the band Oh, Sleeper, which is a metalcore band that has been around for a while, gets paid about $600 per night of playing, $300 for tickets and $300 for merchandise. Normally, bands only make cash depending on what they get paid for playing there and depending on merchandise sales. Typically they have to pay the location still. The typical costs of tour were posted by the band's member Shane Blay.
Of the $300, the band had to pay to print the shirts, which costs $7.50 per shirt that they sell at $15. The band's manager gets a 15 percent cut while the location charges about 25 percent. That means of the $300 in merchandise sales, the band really gets $63.75. Of the $300 for playing at the venue, the band gets $225 before travel expenses since the band manager gets 15 percent and the booking agent gets 10 percent. After all the travel expense, it is really only $78.75 total per night since it costs about $10 a day for food and $150 for gas between gigs.
Divided six ways, that's $13.12 per night, per band member. That doesn't contain whether or not their van breaks down or if they have to stay in a hotel or go to a doctor.
Get paid as a star
The Daily Mail explained that the very best way to make cash while touring is to be big enough that enough tickets will sell to make the extra cash. Roger Waters toured in 2010 which made about $90 million. The costs were only $60 million, which means he made a lot of extra cash.
NBC News explained that most groups were close to having to cancel tours and quit because of gasoline costs in 2008. Most young bands struggle more than you would know.
And just in case one could be wondering, yes, it DOES hurt the band when an individual downloads music for free.
Difficult to live as a rock band
Not everyone can just get on a fancy tour bus and start touring their band. In fact, most band or artist tours do not contain groupies, partying and a lot of cash as you might assume.
If you were touring, you would be ready to make more than $1,500 a month in a record deal opening for some pretty big bands. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione in The Dresden Dolls. They had a record deal and never made more than that, according to a 2007 NPR interview.
They will only be getting $18,000 a year, which is not a lot and only really happens if they tour year round.
CD sales may bring them just a little bit more cash considering they get $1 off every CD sale.
Depends on the band
A mid-level group such as the band Oh, Sleeper, which is a metalcore band that has been around for a while, gets paid about $600 per night of playing, $300 for tickets and $300 for merchandise. Normally, bands only make cash depending on what they get paid for playing there and depending on merchandise sales. Typically they have to pay the location still. The typical costs of tour were posted by the band's member Shane Blay.
Of the $300, the band had to pay to print the shirts, which costs $7.50 per shirt that they sell at $15. The band's manager gets a 15 percent cut while the location charges about 25 percent. That means of the $300 in merchandise sales, the band really gets $63.75. Of the $300 for playing at the venue, the band gets $225 before travel expenses since the band manager gets 15 percent and the booking agent gets 10 percent. After all the travel expense, it is really only $78.75 total per night since it costs about $10 a day for food and $150 for gas between gigs.
Divided six ways, that's $13.12 per night, per band member. That doesn't contain whether or not their van breaks down or if they have to stay in a hotel or go to a doctor.
Get paid as a star
The Daily Mail explained that the very best way to make cash while touring is to be big enough that enough tickets will sell to make the extra cash. Roger Waters toured in 2010 which made about $90 million. The costs were only $60 million, which means he made a lot of extra cash.
NBC News explained that most groups were close to having to cancel tours and quit because of gasoline costs in 2008. Most young bands struggle more than you would know.
And just in case one could be wondering, yes, it DOES hurt the band when an individual downloads music for free.
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