Getting paid to write a song for a commercial can be incredibly lucrative and potentially life-changing. But how much does a songwriter get paid for something like this? Let’s explore the different types of earnings that you can expect and what you need to do to cash in.
Royalty Fees And Advance Payments
Every time you write a song and someone decides to use it for free or for a cheaper price, you’ll get a royalty check from the company. These are much easier to negotiate than publishing advances because they’re usually based on a set formula – typically a percentage of the commercial’s gross receipts. This can range from a low of 0.1% to a high of 4% depending on the type of royalty you choose (common, performing, publishing etc.).
With advances, on the other hand, the check is generally attached to a certain number of units sold. So, if you’re paid based on a percentage of sales, you stand to earn considerably more than if you’re paid per piece. In some cases, when you sell a certain number of units, the advance can even be credited to your account. But, it’s still a lot of paperwork and a lot of waiting.
Songwriting Credit
If you’re lucky, your song will be selected and you’ll be offered a songwriting credit alongside with a royalty share. This, of course, is much better than nothing but it’s not a bad deal either. If you’re looking for a quick way to make some extra cash, you can consider this option as well. Once you get the song, you’ll need to create a professional-looking track listing page for the client. You’ll also need to pitch additional songs to the client to secure a second license. This is a fairly common practice among songwriters and can lead to higher royalty checks if the copyright holder decides to push for them.
Arts & Entertainment (A&E)
If you’re a music professional, you can also choose to market yourself as an A&E professional and get paid to write and produce songs for advertising and brand clients. There are a few benefits to this route. First, you get to explore a different part of the music industry and learn a lot in the process. Second, it gives you more opportunities to write songs with a broader range of placements – from movie trailers to TV shows to podcasts etc. – which in turn, can net you more royalties. Finally, this can be a quick and easy way to make extra money and it’s a great option for those already established in the industry.
Publishing
If you’re a songwriter looking for fame and fortune, the best route is generally considered to be publishing. In this case, you’ll need to find a record company or a publisher who sees your potential and is willing to take a chance on you. Once they see your demos, they can renegotiate the terms with your manager or attorney and get you a signed contract in no time. If you’re lucky, they’ll even decide to take you on as an artist and help you shape your career.
Understandably, this can be a lengthy process. But, it’s a proven method for those who’ve given it a try and can see that it’s worth it. Once you become a famous songwriter, you’ll enjoy the benefits of brand affiliations and enhanced opportunities for touring and recording.
Record Companies And Independent Labels
If you’re more of the technical or engineering type, you can get a job at a record company or independent label and get paid to produce and mix songs. If you decide to pursue this route, you’ll need to have a good grasp of recording software such as Pro Tools, Avid, etc. as well as the hardware such as mixing boards, keyboards, etc. To start, you’ll need to be able to write songs for independent artists and make demo tapes along with mixing and mastering those songs. In return, you’ll get to learn a lot about the music industry and have the opportunity to travel the country performing your songs.
Pianos For Hire
If you’re looking for a way to make some extra cash during your stay in Sweden, consider getting paid to play the piano for hire. As a professional pianist, you’ll be able to play at weddings and other special events as well as give private piano lessons. You’ll need to be able to play with emotion, expressiveness, and above all, be able to follow a sheet of music correctly. Most importantly, you’ll need to enjoy the sound of the instrument and feel at home while playing it. As you might imagine, this can be a rather difficult combination to find in one person. Nevertheless, if you can pull it off, you’ll be able to play piano for your friends, family, and other paying customers for hundreds of hours a month. Just imagine all the things you could do with that much free time!
Get A Professional Demo Tape
If you’re looking to make some extra cash, you can always get a professional demo tape made. This will be a great way to showcase your talents and hopefully, get you some work. You’ll need to find a local studio that can engineer a demo tape for you. This is a very basic and necessary step to take before you even think about pitching your songs to anyone. Once you have a professionally made demo tape, it will give you a great chance to listen to your songs and make any necessary adjustments. Since this is considered a professional piece of equipment, you can expect to pay a decent amount for it – generally a one-time fee plus annual maintenance costs.
Additional Income
If you’re looking for ways to make quick cash, you can get a job teaching or consulting English as a foreign language. You’ll need a college degree to start but you can gain practical experience by becoming a TEFL instructor or an academic English consultant. If you’re looking for the most direct route to earning extra cash, you can consider registering with a transcription company and submitting audio files (e.g., TV shows, podcasts, etc.) to be transribed. You’ll need to register with a transcription company, submit files to be transcribed, and then monitor your work email for notification of transcription projects.
At this point, you might be wondering how much all this adds up to overall. Here’s a quick look at some of the figures:
- royalties can range from $0 to $100,000+ per year
- advance payments can range from $0 to $10,000+
- songwriting credit can range from $0 to $10,000+
- publishing can range from $0 to $10,000+
- record companies and independent labels can range from $0 to $10,000+
- pianos for hire can range from $0 to $10,000+
- demo tapes can range from $0 to $1000+
- transcription can range from $0 to $15 per hour
Although these are all legitimate ways to make extra money, keep in mind that it takes a lot of patience and some luck. But once you’ve established yourself, the money starts to come in faster. So, don’t expect to make a lot of money overnight. But, with enough hard work, you can definitely make some extra cash and enjoy life in Sweden!