Spin Magazine has a pretty interesting article this month highlighting what folks in the music industry make. Anyone else see this? Obviously I am interested in it, and from the limited knowledge that I have it seems kind of accurate. What they did was take anonymous people willing to share what they make, and then asked them the pro’s and con’s about their specific job.

Some of the highlights for me were the Music Blogger making $35,000 a year, the Rappers Bodyguard making $150,000 a year, and the (twenty year) Veteran Touring Artist making $40,000 a year. This list goes on from merchandise seller to photographers to the band managers, and from what I can tell they seem pretty close. The online version doesn’t have all the positions but there are a bunch. I assume most of this is general market, mainstream music, but I don’t think the “Christian Market” is much different in most of it. Except for maybe the rappers bodyguard. I don’t know what Toby pays.

My only question is where I fall into this scale.

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Mar
31
2008
7:34 am

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12 Comments so far
  1. connor Mar, 31 2008 8:09 am

    how much does the photographer get, its the one i’d love to know but isnt on the website…

  2. cool dad Mar, 31 2008 8:15 am

    That sounds like a very cool read. I bet Mr. Costner would earn much more than your usual bodyguard.

  3. Chaotic Hammer Mar, 31 2008 8:50 am

    My only question is where I fall into this scale.

    Before you can figure that out, you’ll have to decide what you want to be when you grow up.

    :)

  4. Brody Mar, 31 2008 8:52 am

    Touché, C-hammer.

  5. Shaun Groves Mar, 31 2008 9:26 am

    Interesting. Very.

    I think the Christian market is a bit different. Here’s one reason: We’re cheap. For some reason Christian artists, labels, managers and company often demand a deal - as if because what we’re doing has something to do with Jesus we shouldn’t pay full price for anything.

    I hired Richard Dodd to mix my last CD. He engineered Johnny Cash’s last albums. He’s mixed Green Day, Tom Petty (got a Grammy for that). He hangs with Rick Rubin! While we were in the studio together he got a call from Rick asking him to mix Weezer’s record Make Believe. My point: He’s a big deal. Worth every penny.

    But we didn’t pay him full price. I was so embarrassed to discover that someone above me in the chain had begged him for a deal because we’re a “small Christian label.”

    So guitar players, merch guys, web guys, engineers - everybody but managers, artists and labels - are often getting paid less than their work merits. And if you won’t take less somebody behind you in line will.

  6. annie Mar, 31 2008 10:35 am

    Mmmm - thanks for the Costner! Great way to start the morning.

    (Sorry for not having a comment on the actual content of your post.)

  7. Brody Mar, 31 2008 12:52 pm

    Connor… according to this a “Rock Photographer on the West Coast makes $125,000 a year”.

    Not a bad deal.

  8. iman Mar, 31 2008 1:54 pm

    please forgive my “newness” to your blog and this maybe a stupid or ignorant question but…what exactly do you do?

  9. Kristin Mar, 31 2008 2:04 pm

    I bet Toby would pay pretty good, you should aspire to be his body guard.

    I bet it wouldn’t be too hard, you’d probably just have to spot him doing back flips.

  10. Paula Mar, 31 2008 2:40 pm

    Shaun, unfortunately the ‘discount thing’ doesn’t just happen in the recording side. I’m manager of a Christian retail store, and the number of customers who demand a discount (for no reason) is crazy. And then they get offended when you refuse them! Christians as customers are extremely demanding - and often fall back onto the ‘well that’s not a very Christian attitude’ :)

  11. Brody Mar, 31 2008 4:02 pm

    Iman. That’s not a stupid or ignorant question. I am actually working on something that didn’t make the Spin list, but hopefully eventually it will be a “real job”.

    I am starting something focussing on artists online presence and working with labels and management companies to give artists a solid web life. It’s a little weird and doesn’t make sense now, but hopefully soon. For now check out the “Featured” blog links at the top, and that hopefully will give you an idea.

    Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the comment.

  12. Seth Ward Apr, 1 2008 12:39 am

    What the heck is a salary?

    I just want to know what Neil Diamond makes and why he doesn’t answer my letters. Why???

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