It’s harder than ever to be an independent musician, new study confirms

It’s harder than ever to be an independent musician, a new study by Right Chord Music, Musosoup, and the Major Labl Artist Club confirms.

We written a lot about how rising costs and increased competition making it harder than ever to make a living or build a fanbase as a musician.

This new online Musician’s Census 2024 completed by 300 independent artists across 64 countries offers a rare analysis of the exact challenges faced by grassroots musicians.

 Key Findings of Musician’s Census 2024

#1 – Full Compensation

40% of respondents said “I honestly don’t know if I get paid the money I’m owed.” with 22% more saying “I definitely don’t get paid what I’m owed.”

“It’s hard to imagine many other categories of work where fair payment is such a challenge,” say the study’s authors.

#2 – Market Oversaturation

The sheer volume of new music being released daily makes it difficult to get noticed.

#3 AI-generated music

The rise of AI-generated music is contributing to the difficulty for independent artists. The presence of low-quality acts or AI-generated content is diluting the music landscape.

#4 Challenges in building a fanbase

The continued difficulty of gaining a loyal following and leveraging social media effectively.

On average artists report using five different social media platforms. Instagram dominates as the primary promotional channel.

Top Services Used By Independent Artists

In addition to social media, artists typically use and average of five different services with the top three being a music distributor, a smart link service and a press/promotion service.

DistroKid was the most recognised music distribution service, but also the most polarizing. Respondents named it both the most liked and disliked service in the survey.

Read the full report here or download the full report here.