Peter Frampton: 55 million streams and I got paid $1700 (4 Viewers)

[livefromDC]

Oddly, it seems that rap artists were the ones to figure out how to make the most money out of the system. Master P, Diddy, Jay Z, Em, Cash Money, etc. You gotta be an owner in music.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

you gotta be a business, man

 

[dtc]

They make up for it with the high priced concert tickets.

Does the high price of concert tickets justify being stolen from and what about people who no longer tour?

 

[Meachemdat]

Does the high price of concert tickets justify being stolen from and what about people who no longer tour?

Exactly.
I mentioned all of this before in another thread. Ticket prices reflect the costs that go into putting the show on.
Next time at a concert, just look around at all of the work that goes into the show.
I just checked Frampton and $50 a ticket really isn't that bad.

The idea that the artist goes home with this money is false.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Exactly.
I mentioned all of this before in another thread. Ticket prices reflect the costs that go into putting the show on.
Next time at a concert, just look around at all of the work that goes into the show.
I just checked Frampton and $50 a ticket really isn't that bad.

The idea that the artist goes home with this money is false.

So out of the $50, what's your guess on how much Frampton ends up with, $5? $10?

 

[Meachemdat]

So out of the $50, what's your guess on how much Frampton ends up with, $5? $10?

Most of the time with bigger acts, there is just a guarantee.
The promoter sells the show to the venue (or company that owns it) and the artist is paid for either the entire tour or per venue which is then split between the members/promoter/label/attorney/management/A&R guy/personal promotions/merch fees, etc. The ticket price goes to the venue.

Example of this would be GnR's recent tour.
They wanted 3 mill per venue.
Let's base this off the typical prices, $50 for nosebleed, $100 for mid tier, $500 for floor-front rows:
GnR gets 3 mill and the venue pulls in around 5 mill off ticket prices.
After all is said and done, IF the members all got equal shares (which they don't in GnR, but let's assume) they probably walk away with about 100,000 a piece per venue of the 3 mill.
Not too shabby.
Now that's GnR.

Let's talk about the average band that isn't a bazillionair, once in a lifetime success.
The arrangement that is getting more and more common is for the artist to agree to pay the venue a set amount to play and in return gets the ticket sales (which are then divided up) in this arrangement the goal is to break even and try and make a profit off of fan experiences (VIP/Meet and greets). This and merch (which you usually just use the profits to by more merch) are the keys to making money on the road.

Most of the bands you and I go to see spend about 2-3 years on the road per album release and the members bring in anywhere from 30,000-45,000 a year.
Those are the Successful bands that have formed in the last 20-30 years.

The lesser-known or recently signed bands are just getting in debt with the hope that they will catch on and get to the point where they are making the above.

 

[ktulu909]

One of my favorite bands broke up a couple of years ago,because they were over 100k in debt. They toured relentlessly,mostly as support acts,but had a few headlining shows in the parish room.

 

[tomwaits]

I remember watching the Ramones documentary and they were saying they toured constantly because they did not make much on record sales. They also sold a ton of t-shirts and that was where they got a lot of money.

Maybe endorsement deals are the way to go. Beats by Dre could be followed by Chairs by Cher, Ariana Grande Burrito, Talyor Swift Swiffer Sweeper, etc.

If you are upset about your favorite band not getting much from streaming, you could send them some money.
Most people are not THAT upset about it.

 

[DCSaints_Fan]

The Offspring sold rights to their songs for $35 million a while back.

Clearly music IP is still worth something.

Also, as a counterpoint, I wonder what number you would arrive at if you totalled all the recordings sold multiplied by the average purchase price, and divided by the average number of times the purchaser listened to the song. So maybe the good ole' days weren't much better.

And what about radio?

 

[whoah whoah]

Spotify is the new radio, except I don’t have to sit by and wait to hit record on my tape player...

 

[Optimus Prime]

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Most of the bands you and I go to see spend about 2-3 years on the road per album release and the members bring in anywhere from 30,000-45,000 a year.
Those are the Successful bands that have formed in the last 20-30 years.

$30k-$45k per year?? I think you’re referring to supporting musicians who play concerts on the road with established bands, right? I mean, if lets say, youre one of the founding members of Coldplay or Nickelback or something, why would you even subject yourself to the rigors of touring for under $50k per year?


That said, one of the members of Pete Yorn’s band lived in my apartment building circa the early 2000s.. he definitely wasn’t living a rock star lifestyle lol, but i dont think the band members (in that particular instance) were compensated on the level of Pete Yorn himself, so it wasn’t really a band, per se.... i’m pretty certain this guy was pulling in over $50k per year, and this was 20 yrs ago for a guy who only had one or two hits on the radio.

 

[tomwaits]

$30k-$45k per year?? I think you’re referring to supporting musicians who play concerts on the road with established bands, right? I mean, if lets say, youre one of the founding members of Coldplay or Nickelback or something, why would you even subject yourself to the rigors of touring for under $50k per year?


That said, ome of the members of Pete Yorn’s band lived in my apartment building circa the early 2000s.. he definitely wasn’t living a rock star lifestyle lol, but i dont think the band members (in that particular instance) were compensated on the level of Pete Yorn himself, so it wasn’t really a band, per se.... i’m pretty certain this guy was pulling in over $50k per year, and this was 20 yrs ago for a guy who only had one or two hits on the radio.

Who is Pete Yorn?

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Who is Pete Yorn?

My neighbor is the guy @ 1:02 sitting at the keyboard but playing a guitar (??)

 

[woohoosaint]

Musicians always get hosed. The record studios, the promoters, and the venues eat all the money.

It's even worse for composers than players. At least players' agents only take 10% (after promoters, etc. have stolen the Lion's share). Publishing companies take 90%, giving the composer only 10% of the transaction of their music sales. It's a complete racket.

I can attest to this.
In most cases, the band is usually the last to get paid.
Promoters, clubs, roadies and technicians all get paid before band gets paid.
My bands did the Louisiana club circuit back in the 80s and 90s.

We were playing clubs twice a week most of those years and we were lucky to go home with $10 in our pockets for most of those gigs.

Promoters, clubs, roadies and techs all got paid more than we did.

A famous "Music Club" in Uptown NOLA promised used the money from the door and the club was going get the bar money. We were going to have my brother collect at the door, but the "Music Club" owner insisted that one of his bouncers be there to collect. We relented because we were young and dumb.
We had my brother sit at the bar across from the entrance to do a head count on everybody who paid at the door. The cover charge was $5/person.
We packed 300 people into the "Music Club" that night.
At the end of the night the "Music Club" owner handed us $500.
My brother notified us that the bouncer was only counting every 3rd person paying at the door on his hand click counter.
We brought it to the "Music Club" owner's attention...and he turned his back on us and walked out.
That man screwed us out of a thousand dollars.

We never played that "Music Club" again...and we put our story out there to other local bands.

That type of thing happens to bands more than most people realize.