It seems reasonable to assume that members of famous bands are as rich as can be. However, it seems this is not quite the case.
Recently many bands have spoken out about how little income they make despite the sizes of their fan bases. This, alongside recent outrageous reports on the amount of money artists receive from Spotify streams, it is to be expected that popular artists are looking for an alternative for their income. Here are some ways you could support musicians that you love.
A popular British metalcore band, called ‘While She Sleeps’, have recently started a new money-making model which they are naming the ‘Sleeps Society’. Via a website named ‘Patreon’, they can receive monthly donations directly from their fans in return for exclusive rewards. This means that they can receive an income boost from their most devoted fans, who get to receive a special kind of reward from the band and get to feel closer to the band that they love. For example, for £4.99 per month you can receive direct contact to the band members and other members via an application called Discord, along with many other benefits such as early access to ticket sales and access to exclusive merchandise. Patreon is a service often used by artists who are just staring out, also.
Another option used by many bands is releasing their music on a website called ‘Bandcamp’. Here fans can purchase their favourite band’s music directly, often for whatever they want to pay, which gives the band a lot more money than Spotify streams (which is only about £2.74 for 1000 streams on average) or purchase via iTunes. This was an idea pioneered by British band, Radiohead, now over 10 years ago, who released their album, 'In Rainbows', initially for fans to pay whatever they wished.
Basically, unless you’re one of the largest pop artists on the planet, money doesn’t come easy, especially during this pandemic, as many artists relied on touring for a large amount of their income. So, if you are a big fan of a smaller artist and have some money to spare, do consider donating to them or buying their merchandise. However, if you don’t have the money to spare, like many people during these tough times, streaming their music will still help them.