How the Music Industry Really Works

Summary

Streaming Dominates: With over 69% of global music revenue, streaming platforms are now the lifeblood of the industry.
Power vs. Independence: Major labels control the lion’s share, but independent artists and self-releases are rising fast—capturing nearly 30% of the market.
Future-Proofing with Tech: AI is reshaping music creation and distribution, but also sparks debates over copyright, artistic value, and fairness.

Table Of Contents

Trashbbx Beatmaker & Producer

Trashbbx
Beatmaker & Producer

What is the music industry and how is it structured today?

The modern music industry is a complex ecosystem. It has evolved significantly, moving from physical media like sheet music and CDs to digital formats such as streaming. Today, its structure is shaped by several key players who all depend on each other.

Here’s a breakdown of the essential roles:

Record Labels: These companies take on the financial risk. They are responsible for discovering, developing, and promoting artists and their recordings.
Music Publishers: Publishers manage the copyrights for musical compositions—that is, the melody, harmony, and lyrics. They also issue licenses for the use of these compositions.
Collecting Societies (PROs): Organizations like GEMA in Germany, often called Performance Rights Organizations (PROs), license music for mass use, such as in public performances, and collect royalties for the creators.
Distributors: In the digital age, distributors act as aggregators. They deliver music to Digital Service Providers (DSPs) like Spotify and ensure that the earnings are passed on to the labels or artists.

A Two-Tiered Global Market

The global music market operates as a two-tiered system. On one side, it is dominated by the three “major labels”: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Together, they form a powerful oligopoly, possessing extensive global networks and vast back catalogs of music.

On the other side is the independent sector. This diverse group includes thousands of small and medium-sized companies. They often focus on niche genres and are widely considered to be more artist-friendly.

In 2024, this non-major sector, which also includes self-releasing artists known as “Artists Direct,” successfully increased its market share to 29.7% of the global recorded music market.

📥 Stay Ahead of the Beat

Want the latest music industry moves—without the fluff? Sign up for our newsletter and get the hottest trends, key numbers, and bold opinions delivered straight to your inbox.

How much is the music industry worth and how is money made?

In 2024, the global recorded music market reached a staggering value. According to the IFPI, its total volume was $29.6 billion. Meanwhile, a separate analysis by MIDiA Research placed the value even higher at $36.2 billion, a difference that comes down to varying calculation methods.

So, where does all this money come from, and how is it distributed? Let’s dive into the main revenue streams.

Streaming: The Engine of the Industry

Streaming is the undisputed driver of the modern music business. In 2024, revenue from streaming surpassed $20 billion, accounting for a massive 69.0% of global music sales.

This includes:

Paid Subscription Services: Platforms like Spotify Premium and Apple Music saw 9.5% growth, reaching over 752 million paying subscribers.
Ad-Supported Services: This category covers free versions of platforms like Spotify and YouTube, which generate revenue through advertising.

For many listeners, streaming services have become the “new radio”—the primary tool for music discovery and consumption.

Physical Formats: The Tangible Experience

While the peak era of physical media may be over, it remains a significant source of income. CD sales continue to decline globally, but vinyl experienced a 4.6% growth in 2024, marking its 18th consecutive year of growth.

Vinyl is marketed as a high-quality, collectible product that offers fans a deeper, physical connection to the music.

Source:

IFPI Global Music Report 2024

Performance Rights: Music in Public

This revenue comes from the public performance and broadcasting of music. It is managed by collecting societies (like GEMA in Germany). Globally, this sector grew by 5.9% in 2024 to $2.9 billion.

Synchronization (Sync): Music in Media

Sync revenue is generated when music is licensed for use in movies, TV shows, advertisements, and video games. In 2024, global sync revenues saw a healthy increase of 7.4%.

What professions and players shape the music business?

The music industry is shaped by a wide array of professions and key players who work together to create, distribute, and monetize music. Here are the most important roles and what they do.

A&R Manager (Artists & Repertoire)

A&R managers are the primary talent scouts and artist developers at record labels and music publishers. Their role has evolved from being an intuitive “tastemaker” to a hybrid of creative scout and data analyst.

Key Responsibilities:

Talent Scouting: They discover new artists, a process that is now often data-driven, using streaming platforms and social media analytics.
Artist Development: After signing an artist, they oversee their creative growth. This includes selecting songs, pairing them with the right producers, and monitoring the recording process.
Coordination: They act as a central point of contact, coordinating between the artist and the label’s internal marketing, promotion, and legal departments.

Salary: Compensation varies greatly, but at a major label like Universal Music Group, the average salary for an A&R manager is around $101,481 per year.

Music Producer

The producer is the central creative and technical force in the recording process, shaping a song’s sound, arrangement, and overall feel. As streaming platforms require a constant flow of new content, skilled producers are in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 6% job growth for producers between 2020 and 2030.

Key Responsibilities:

Creative Direction: They collaborate closely with the artist on song structure, arrangements, and performance coaching to get the best take.
Project Management: They manage the entire recording project, including the budget, studio scheduling, hiring session musicians and engineers, and overseeing the technical aspects of recording, mixing, and mastering.

Income: A producer’s income is highly variable and reflects the “winner-takes-all” nature of the industry. It typically consists of an upfront fee (from a few hundred to over $15,000 per song) and “points”—a percentage of the song’s future royalties. A small circle of “super-producers” earns massive sums from hit songs, while the majority have a more precarious income.

Artist Manager

The manager is the “chief executive” of an artist’s career and their most important business partner. They develop a long-term, holistic career strategy and advise the artist on all major decisions.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Building: They assemble the artist’s professional team, which can include a publicist, booking agent, business manager, and lawyer.
Representation: They represent the artist’s best interests in all contract negotiations.

Compensation: A manager’s fee is typically 15% to 20% of the artist’s gross earnings.

Talent Agent (or Booking Agent)

Talent agents specialize in securing live performance opportunities for artists. They work in close coordination with the artist manager.

Key Responsibilities:

Booking Shows: They negotiate performance fees, plan tours, and handle all the contractual details for live engagements.

Compensation: Agents usually receive a 10% commission from the income generated by the shows they book.

How do I get started in the music industry?

Gaining a foothold in the music industry requires a powerful combination of talent, strategic thinking, and business acumen. Here’s how you can navigate the path to a successful career.

Education and Qualifications

While hands-on experience and personal contacts have traditionally been highly valued, a formal education can provide a significant advantage.

Specialized degree programs, such as those at the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg or Berklee College of Music, offer a comprehensive understanding of the industry and provide access to professional networks.
For producers, self-study is also a viable path, thanks to accessible software and a wealth of online tutorials.
Aspiring A&R managers need deep musical knowledge, strong interpersonal skills, and, increasingly, data analysis skills to identify promising talent.

Getting Discovered as an Artist or Producer

The digital revolution has completely changed how talent gets discovered.

Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels are now primary launchpads for new artists due to their viral potential.
Direct-to-fan platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp allow artists to release their music independently, build a dedicated fanbase, and strengthen their negotiating position with labels.
However, with roughly 100,000 new tracks uploaded to Spotify every day, musical talent alone is no longer enough. Artists must also become savvy entrepreneurs with skills in digital marketing, branding, and data analysis.

The Crucial Importance of Networking

Networking is absolutely essential for long-term success in the music industry. Collaborations, contracts, and tours are predominantly born from personal connections.

Get involved: Join professional organizations like A2IM, MMF-US, or Women in Music.
Be present: Attend industry conferences and festivals such as SXSW, Midem, or the Music Biz Conference. These events bring together thousands of professionals and offer outstanding opportunities for high-level contacts.
Be strategic online: Use digital platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram for targeted outreach.

Build relationships: Nurture your contacts through authentic engagement and consistent follow-up.

Why does the music industry have such a controversial reputation?

The music industry suffers from a controversial reputation, rooted in historical power imbalances and a lack of transparency. These issues continue to shape its public perception today.

Exploitation and Contracts

The industry is often criticized as being fundamentally exploitative.

This critique is based on several key factors:

Historical Practices: The business has a long history of opaque, label-favored contracts featuring aggressive recoupment clauses and intentionally non-transparent accounting methods. This made it incredibly difficult for artists to verify their earnings.
The Streaming Era: The allegations persist in the age of streaming, focusing on extremely low per-stream payouts and the “pro-rata” distribution system, which disproportionately benefits superstars and major labels. Digital distribution companies are also seen as profiting from amateurs who pay for uploads but rarely see a return.
Unpaid Labor: Artists are expected to invest immense amounts of unpaid time into marketing and social media, which is framed as essential work for “brand building.”
The “360-Deal”: From an artist’s perspective, these deals—where labels take a cut from all revenue streams—are highly risky and often considered exploitative, as labels profit from areas where they contribute little. Legally, these deals can be deemed “inequitable,” especially when signed by inexperienced artists with little bargaining power. Widespread mistrust, fueled by the industry’s history of non-transparency, amplifies the fear of losing control over all sources of income.

Mental Health and the "27 Club"

The “27 Club” is a statistical myth; a study in the British Medical Journal found no statistical spike in the risk of death at the specific age of 27. However, the reality is even more concerning: musicians have a significantly higher mortality rate throughout their twenties and thirties, and the industry is plagued by a deep mental health crisis.

Stressors contributing to this crisis include:

Financial insecurity and irregular working hours
Constant travel and sleep deprivation
Isolation and the immense pressure of fame
Intense public scrutiny
A toxic industry culture often characterized by bullying, harassment, and abuse

This environment has led to the emergence of a “New 27 Club,” referencing more recent deaths of young artists linked to substance abuse.

"Industry Plants"

The term “industry plant” is a derogatory label for artists who are perceived to achieve success through hidden industry support (like family connections or a pre-existing major-label deal) while presenting themselves as “self-made.”

Accusations and Anxiety: High-profile artists like Lana Del Rey and Clairo have faced these accusations, which often reflect fan anxieties about authenticity and fairness in a crowded market.
The Counterargument: Critics often dismiss the term as a “lazy” conspiracy theory. They point out that it disproportionately targets young women and artists of color, suggesting that the accusations can be rooted in misogyny and racism.

In summary, these controversies are closely intertwined. They are symptoms of a system that, according to its critics, often prioritizes profit and predictability over the well-being and artistic development of its creators.

How will AI and technology shape the future of music?

The music industry is undergoing a profound transformation thanks to artificial intelligence and technology, which are reshaping production, business models, and future forecasts.

Changes in Music Production

Democratization: The wide availability of Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), home recording equipment, and software instruments has “democratized” music production, allowing independent artists to create professional-quality recordings.
AI Assistance: AI-powered software now assists with songwriting (providing melody and lyric ideas) and automates complex tasks like mixing and mastering. This makes high-quality sound more accessible than ever.

Will AI Replace Human Artists and Producers?

Unlikely to Fully Replace: The general consensus is that AI will not completely replace human artists and producers. Instead, it will serve as a tool to supplement and support human creativity.
The Threat of Devaluation: The real threat from AI lies in the potential devaluation of human creativity. If generative AI can produce an unlimited supply of “good enough” music for functional purposes (e.g., background music for online content or ads), it could diminish the market’s value and turn music into a commodity.
The Copyright Threat: Generative AI models trained on copyrighted music without consent or compensation pose a significant threat. They directly compete with the work of human artists and attack the very foundation of the music industry’s copyright system. The industry is fighting for regulation to preserve the intrinsic economic value of human creativity.