It’s never been easy to make a living as a musician. But there was always a dream: to become a star on the strength of your talent and your music. The Internet is a rude sandman, however, and today that dream is a lot more convoluted.

No longer can a would-be rock star follow the once-accepted checklist: (1) sign with a big label, (2) get a hit, (3) buy mansions and cars. The number of ways a musician can make money is now varied. The question, for many musicians still trying to make a go of it in the industry, is whether those many sources can add up to something sustainable. read more

Universal Music Group’s pending $1.9 billion bid for the recorded-music business of EMI Group has some rival record labels, consumer groups and artists singing the blues in the nation’s capital.

The consolidation of musical talent under one corporate roof — Lady Gaga and Katy Perry would be represented, along with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and other artists — would give the company control of more than 43 percent of the American recorded music pie…

…Criticisms of the deal also strike a chord with musicians. read more

Future of Music Coalition has released the next data set from its groundbreaking Artist Revenue Streams research project: five financial case study profiles that provide rich, verifiable information about how certain musician types are making a living…

We’ve told you a little bit about the cash flow of orchestras, but If you’re not a fan of classical music, Future of Music Coalition has just released some data that might be a little more relevant to you…

The Future of Music Coalition has been working on a long-term project that goes beyond personal anecdote and uses tax returns and other information to better understand where money in the music business goes, including how much goes to musicians.

The Artist Revenue Streams project examines how musicians’ revenue streams are changing, and why…