Believe it or not, it’s indeed feasible to generate income by merely listening to music. This unconventional way of earning might sound outlandish, but an increasing population is capitalizing on this chance.
They’re getting rewarded merely for indulging in their preferred tunes. This surprising yet emerging opportunity for income generation is gaining traction. If this has piqued your curiosity, we urge you to continue reading to uncover more details about this burgeoning possibility.
Can You Earn Money by Listening to Music?
While it may appear to be an unrealistic fantasy, it is indeed possible to make money listening to music while enjoying your favorite tunes. However, this opportunity is influenced by several factors, such as the size of your follower base, the particular websites you decide to partner with, and your ability to deliver multiple reviews related to music business ideas.
Ways to Make Money Listening to Music
In today’s diverse and digital-driven music industry, there are numerous avenues, beyond just websites, for passionate music lovers to earn money from their love of tunes.
These opportunities range from engaging with music on various online platforms to actively participating in the broader music industry in creative and innovative ways.
The potential income you can earn varies significantly based on the method you choose and the depth of your involvement. While listening, reviewing, and rating tracks on websites remain popular options, venturing into areas like content creation, music curation, or even educational services can offer more substantial earning potential.
For example, while reviewing new music could yield more earnings than passive listening, creating a popular music-related YouTube channel or offering curated playlist services could open up even more lucrative opportunities.
Let’s explore diverse ways to turn your passion for music into a source of income, ranging from straightforward online activities to more involved entrepreneurial ventures in the music industry.
Make Money Watching Music Videos
One way to make money listening to music is by watching videos. In addition to watching videos, some websites may also ask you to take part in online surveys.
Completing the surveys will help you increase your overall income. You can also look into another source of revenue by curating music for vloggers, businesses, and other creators.
An accessible avenue to earn money via music is by watching videos. In addition to this, certain platforms might also necessitate your participation in online surveys. Actively engaging and completing these surveys can amplify your overall income.
An alternative revenue stream could involve sourcing free music for videos, essentially curating soundtracks for vloggers, businesses, and other creative professionals.
Make Money Providing Feedback to Radio Stations
Online radio stations are perpetually on the hunt for potential chartbusters. Prior to broadcasting a song on a grand scale, several stations compensate individuals for their time spent listening to music and their subsequent feedback.
Review Music for Money
Websites like Playlist Push and HitPredictor pay users to review music. To improve your earning potential, you need to be detailed in your reviews.
Transcribe Lyrics
Another simple way to make some extra cash is by doing some transcription work. Sites like WeLocalize offer a decent amount of money for transcription work.
Complete Paid Surveys
The value of data is unparalleled, leading many websites to compensate individuals for their feedback regarding artists and newly released songs. Participation in these surveys can be a lucrative method of supplementing your income.
Join Focus Groups
Certain websites host focus groups, enabling music aficionados to connect and exchange thoughts on various music genres. A moderator typically guides these discussions, and the collective feedback is used to gain valuable insights into listener preferences.
Explore Affiliate Marketing in Music
Dive into the world of affiliate marketing within the music industry. By promoting music products, instruments, or services, you can earn commissions on sales made through your referral links. Share these links on your social media, blog, or website, and earn money when your followers make purchases.
Utilize Music Streaming Platforms
Capitalize on music streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. Create and share playlists, and potentially partner with these platforms or artists for promotions. As your playlists gain popularity, there might be opportunities to collaborate with artists or labels for playlist placements.
Offer Playlist Curation Services
Develop a service where you curate playlists for businesses, events, or personal use. Your expertise in music selection can be monetized by creating custom playlists that cater to specific moods, events, or environments.
Participate in Music Research Studies
Look for opportunities to participate in music research studies. Universities, market research firms, and music companies often conduct studies where they pay participants to listen to music and provide feedback. This can be an interesting way to earn money while contributing to music research.
Create Music-Related Content on Social Media
Leverage social media platforms to create music-related content. Whether it’s reviews, reactions, or discussions about music, engaging content can attract followers and open doors to monetization through platform ad revenues, sponsorships, or brand collaborations.
Teach Music Appreciation or Analysis
If you have a deep understanding of music, consider teaching music appreciation or analysis online. You can create courses or offer one-on-one sessions for individuals interested in deepening their understanding of music genres, history, or theory.
Collaborate with Music Tech Companies
Explore partnerships with music tech companies that are creating innovative apps or software. These companies frequently seek music enthusiasts to test their products and provide feedback. Engaging in this way can be a distinctive opportunity to make money listening to music while experiencing cutting-edge developments in music technology.
Write for Music Blogs or Magazines
If you have a knack for writing, consider contributing to music blogs or magazines. Writing album reviews, artist profiles, or industry news can be a monetizable skill, either on a freelance basis or as a regular contributor.
Start a Music Podcast or YouTube Channel
Create a music podcast or YouTube channel where you discuss various music genres, interview artists, or explore music trends. Monetize these platforms through ads, sponsorships, or memberships.
Offer Music Therapy Sessions
If you are qualified in music therapy, consider providing your services online. This approach allows you to blend your passion for music with the opportunity to help others, creating an additional way to make money listening to music.
Websites That Will Pay You for Listening to Music
Websites that reward listeners are influenced by various factors, including market research and the collection of reviews. In essence, professionals in the music industry utilize these insights to enhance their strategies, making sure their offerings resonate well with the intended audience.
Let’s take a look at some websites that will pay you extra money to listen to music.
Music Xray
Music Xray is focused on new artists and music composers. Listeners are required to listen to new tracks and rate them. Your rating and reviews help new artists produce better music. By bringing new artists to listeners, Music Xray also helps create a followership for the music makers.
Once you sign up, Music Xray will pay 10 cents per song. Recordings are usually just 30 seconds long and once you hit $20 in earnings, you may cash out through PayPal. It’s important to note that Music Xray pays users only through PayPal at the moment.
Slice The Pie
With millions of reviewers, Slice The Pie is one of the best-known websites that pay users to review music online. To make money reviewing music on this website, you need to listen to music for at least 90 seconds. The site will pay you for your rating and review.
Slice the Pie pays anywhere from 2 to 10 cents per review. Payment is made immediately and you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal. The minimum threshold for payout is $10.
Research.fm
Research.fm is designed to review new music. On their website, you can instantly listen and review songs. They also have an app that can be downloaded from the Apple app store and Google Play store. Joining the site is a bit tricky, though. You need to be invited by an existing member before you start on the site. You can earn points and exchange them for Amazon gift cards.
HitPredictor
HitPredictor, as its name implies, aims to identify the next big hits in music. On their website, users can earn money by listening to new tracks, which they can then rate and review for compensation. HitPredictor is favored by both independent artists and record labels seeking experts to assess new music.
On HitPredictor, you can get 3 points ($1) for every song rating. You can buy gift cards to redeem your points.
PlaylistPush
If you are a content creator with a good number of people following you, PlaylistPush is a great platform to make some extra cash. To get started, you should have at least 400 followers on Apple Music or Spotify. Once you meet this requirement, you will be able to connect with new artists who pay popular users to listen to their music and add them to their own playlists.
PlaylistPush pays about $1 for every song review. You can expect to get paid more money if you have a considerable number of people following you.
| Website | Focus | Requirements/Notes | Payment Method | Payment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music Xray | New artists & composers | Listen, rate, review songs; Cash out at $20 | PayPal only | 10 cents/song |
| Slice The Pie | Music review | Listen for at least 90 sec; review songs; Cash out at $10 | PayPal | 2-10 cents/review |
| Research.fm | New music review | Requires invitation; Earn points for reviews | Points exchanged for Amazon gift cards | Varies (Points) |
| HitPredictor | Predicting hit music | Rate & review songs; Redeem points for gift cards | Points exchanged for gift cards | 3 points ($1)/song rating |
| PlaylistPush | Connecting artists with influencers | Minimum 400 followers on Apple Music/Spotify | Varies | Approx. $1/song review, more for larger followings |
How to Make More Money Listening to Music
Over the past few years, numerous platforms have sprouted up that offer users the opportunity to earn by engaging with music.
These websites have created a niche where music enthusiasts can generate income by indulging in activities like rating music, writing reviews, or simply immersing in the melodies.
This is a growing trend, and there are some strategies that can help you optimize this income source. It’s all about understanding the platform dynamics, regularity, and quality of your reviews or ratings.
Remember, every bit of your input helps shape the music industry and, thus, is valued.
Here are some tips to increase your earnings in this fun way.
- Make referrals: Referring friends to the websites is a simple and effective way to add money to your PayPal account. Sites like Music Xray pay users every time they refer new people.
- Sign up on multiple sites: Another easy way to get paid to listen to music is by signing up on several sites.
- Focus on building your followers: Record labels and new artists always look for influencers and popular content creators to sample their music and to generate awareness. This makes it important to think about how you can get more people to follow you.
- Work on your writing skills: Since many of these websites pay for music reviews, it may help to improve your writing skills so you can write better reviews and get paid more.
What equipment do you need to make money to listen to music?
Venturing into this novel method of earning doesn’t require you to invest heavily in equipment.
All you may need are a pair of good quality headphones that can provide you with a seamless music listening experience, and of course, an internet connection that won’t hamper your groove with unnecessary interruptions.
Some of these music platforms also have their own dedicated mobile applications for user convenience. This means having a smartphone or a tablet that can support these apps will be advantageous.
Thus, good headphones, stable internet, and a decent mobile device are your key tools to kickstart this journey.
How much money can you make listening to music?
Image: Depositphotos
