Do CDs/downloads make much money for the musicians?

Rocker

Might appear to be an impertinent question but do musicians make much money from sales of CDs or downloads? Subtracting studio and production costs also promotion, is the purpose to promote live gigs by putting a band/solo name out there?

Snap

HI Rocker,

Not really. Depends on the release mechanism. Through a label, then there are a lot of costs to come off first. If doing yourself, then I guess you make the difference between cost of production and the price you sell - not a big margin tbh.

Unless you are a massive act, you make your money these days through live shows and merchandise.

Very tough living now.

EdGrip

When I'm buying music, I usually look to see if the artist has a website where you can pay for and download the music directly. Only if they don't, do I resort to buying a CD from an online record shop for what I consider a competitive (sub-£8) price and then rip it to FLAC, If I don't want to wait then 7digital, then Amazon. (I haven't got iTunes.)

I still do a bit of torrenting, but these days I try to keep it to big, old, classic albums where the artists concerned are dead or Mick Jagger.

EDIT: I know that's an admission of double standards. I know. I don't need telling.   

RocknRollDave

Totally depends on the artist and how big they are and how many CD's they sell, I guess, but generally speaking I think artists and bands are lucky to recoup the initial spend on albums and hope they can make generate streams in other ways.

I hate the idea of a live show being there just to promote a new CD, just as much as I hate the idea of an album being recorded just so a band has something new out there to justify another tour. Both are important artistic outlets, valid in and of themselves...but I appreciate that bands have to run themselves as businesses.

markv

I found this the other day while killing time at work (something I hardly ever do, obviously): https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/03/how-much-musicians-make-spotify-itunes-youtube

Infographic from last year showing how many albums sold, tracks downloaded or tracks streamed per month an act would have to achieve, via various different approaches, to reach US minimum wage.

thomasross20

I don't agree with how people put up whole albums for free listening and hope somebody will buy. 

I believe there should be snippets or maybe one full free track. People (IMO) will just take advantage, listen to the whole thing and not buy. 

guitarfishbay

Right but those same people aren't likely to buy either, they'll probably just find somewhere else to download it for free

EricTheWeary

Watching the repeat of that world's richest songs thing last night. Songwriters make about 8p per track on a new cd sale apparently.

Snap

guitarfishbay said:

Right but those same people aren't likely to buy either, they'll probably just find somewhere else to download it for free

I wouldn't. I'd stream it for free, or via Spotify. I'd be unlikely to buy any album unless it was something I really liked, or something ambient/e;lectronic, where I appreciate the higher res audio of a full res download or a CD. These days, I never torrent anything.

guitarfishbay

Snap said:

guitarfishbay said:

Right but those same people aren't likely to buy either, they'll probably just find somewhere else to download it for free

I wouldn't. I'd stream it for free, or via Spotify. I'd be unlikely to buy any album unless it was something I really liked, or something ambient/e;lectronic, where I appreciate the higher res audio of a full res download or a CD. These days, I never torrent anything.

I don't torrent anything.  If I can't listen to a stream I'd still buy a CD on the basis of a decent couple of singles and some reviews.  I do quite like buying from Amazon if there's an Autorip version I can listen to at work (CD is for the car).  I just bought 3 CDs today, only 1 of which I've heard all the way through before (but several years ago).  I've been known to buy multiple copies of albums I own either because my first CD has worn out or I've lost it and really want to listen to it again and the MP3 rip I have is low quality (especially stuff I bought a long time ago).  I do very much accept I'm in a minority now though.  Most music fans have gone to £10/month streaming plans and YouTube.