In the UK’s music scene, streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music are the go-to for consumers; because of this, £1.1 billion in UK music industry revenue came from streaming in the UK, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). But with payouts averaging between £0.003-£0.007 per stream, and only 2.4% of artists hitting 100,000 monthly streams, making a living through music is tough. Realizing this, we decided to give some ideas on how to make this dream a reality!
1. Supercharge Your Streams
Streams drive exposure and royalties—more plays mean more fans and gig offers. Here’s how to rack them up:
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Get Onto Playlists: Spotify playlists are your ticket to larger streams. Editorial lists like UK Rap or New Music Friday are gold, however smaller curators—like those running Grime Shutdown—are easier to pitch to and there’s less bureaucracy. Use SubmitHub (£1 per submission) or DM & Email curators with a quick intro about you, your songs and input the track link.
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Be consistent: Algorithms love fresh releases. Drop a single every 1-2 months—EPs can do the trick if you have a large enough audience. Just ensure you feed your fans regularly.
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Analyze Your Data: Use Spotify for Artists (free) to track where streams come from, so you can optimize your marketing strategies and find out what city they come from.
2. Your Network Is Your Networth
No matter what your opinion is on nepotism, it is about who you know, not what you know. This is extremely true in the music industry. This goes for playlists, gigs, radio play, labels and more. Network and create real relationships.
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Hit Local events: Play at open mic nights and build relationships with other artists and attendees (some may be A&Rs). You never know who’s watching.
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Go to Industry Events: Go to Industry events and network with others, attendees can include other artists, A&Rs, music fans and many more.
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Be Online: Capitalize on trending sounds and hashtags and reinvent them to suit yourself. Get involved in the everchanging scene.
Pro Tip: Don’t just ask for help, offer something; Additionally when you get someone’s contact details be sure to message them within 72 hours as after that they’re less obliged to be of assistance to you.
3. Cash In on Radio with PRS
Radio play is often underutilized but steady earner, and PRS for Music is your key to collecting your royalties. It tracks when your songs hits radio stations big or small such as BBC Radio 1, Capital, or Represent radio and Rinse FM. Once you’re played you’ll be paid performance royalties.
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Join PRS: Sign up at prsformusic.com (£100 one-off fee) to ensure you are able to claim royalties when your music is played on the radio, TV, or at the barber shop. A single BBC Radio 1 spin can pay between £50-£200; a Heart FM play, £20-£50. Sam Fender’s “Hypersonic Missiles” earned £15,000 from 2019 radio spins alone, per PRS data. Register EVERY track you release!
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Pitch to Radio: Submit to BBC Introducing (free, via their uploader) for regional shows—BBC Manchester or London often playlist newbies. Email DJs and radio presenters.
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Do a show: PRS also collects from venues playing your music. Gig at PRS-licensed spots such as a club or other music venue; a setlist logged via setlist.prsformusic.com can earn £5-£50 per show if your track’s aired later.
Fact: PRS paid £943 million to UK songwriters in 2024, with radio making up 15%. A few handful of plays can out earn 100,000 streams (£300-£500).
4. Diversify Your Money
Streaming’s just one slice of the cake, most artists make their money from shows, tours, brand deals & merchandise::
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Gigs: Live shows pay good. Headlining at a small venue could net you anything from £200-£800, not including plus merch sales. You can wait for a booking agent to book you or you can independently headline your own show, just find promoters
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Merch: Sell T-shirts or CD’s. A £15 profit per item adds up. At 50 sales per gig, that’s £750. To simplify the process you can use Print On Demand services like Printify.
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Patreon: Offer fans demos, sneak peeks or Q&As from just £5 a month. 30 patrons at £5 is £150 monthly, potentially covering a few studio sessions.
5. Protect Your Rights
Owning your music means owning your profits. Labels are known for targeting desperate individuals.
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Avoid Bad Deals: A £10,000 advance might lock you into a 15% royalty cut forever. Hire a music lawyer to vet contracts and provide you with advice.
- Learn music law and negotiation skills to secure yourself the best deal.
6. Build True Fans
Fans drive streams and cash—1,000 of them spending £50 yearly is £50,000, more manageable than chasing viral hits.
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Email Lists: Leverage your website (if you have one) and your social media in order to gather emails and send updates via a newsletter. Use a site like mailchimp to assist in this process.
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Local Buzz: Play at open mics and engage with everyone their. You may end up earning a new fan.
7. Grind smart & hard
Life for British musicians is tough. with only 1,500 artists hitting 1 million monthly streams in 2023, per MIDiA Research. Stay sharp and steady. In conclusion:
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Leverage Analytics.
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Reinvest your earnings.
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Be authentic and don’t chase a trend.
