🎤 How to Start Monetizing Your Music Early — Even With No Budget

Written By 28 ENT

Too many artists wait until they're "established" to start building income streams. But the truth is: you don’t need to go viral to start making money from your music. Here's how to get started with little to no upfront investment:

💸 1. Register With a Performing Rights Organization (PRO)

Make sure your music is registered with a PRO like:

  • BMI (Free for songwriters)

  • ASCAP (One-time $50 fee for songwriters)
    This ensures you're paid for performances (live or digital).

🧠 2. Set Up Your Publishing With Songtrust

If you're releasing original music, Songtrust helps collect global publishing royalties.
They take a cut, but you don’t leave money on the table.

🎧 3. Use YouTube Content ID

Services like Identifyy help collect monetization from YouTube videos that use your music. It’s free to sign up, and you don’t need a huge audience.

💽 4. Distribute With a Free Aggregator

Use UnitedMasters or Amuse to upload music for free to Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
They take a % of royalties unless you upgrade, but there's no cost upfront.

🛍 5. Start Selling Merch With No Inventory

Use print-on-demand platforms like:

  • Printful

  • Teespring
    You upload a design, and they handle the rest. No bulk orders needed.

📈 6. Create a Linktree or Solo.to

Make it easy for people to find your music, social media, and merch all in one place:

  • Linktree

  • Solo.to

🔒 7. Set Up Smart Contracts for Collaborations

Use SplitSheet or SongSplit to protect your work when collaborating. No lawyer needed.

🚩 Bonus: Red Flags to Avoid

  • Avoid signing to another artist’s “label” with no paperwork or experience

  • Don’t accept free beats with strings attached (like forced collabs or splits)

  • Be cautious of pay-to-play showcases that don’t provide networking value

  • Don’t rush into management deals before you know your brand

28 ENT

Marlon "28" Evins is a highly skilled audio engineer with over 12 years of experience in the industry. He is a graduate of Full Sail University and has a passion for music and sound that is evident in every project he works on.

Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Marlon now calls Raleigh, North Carolina his home. Throughout his career, he has worked with a variety of artists and production companies, honing his skills and developing a unique style and approach to audio engineering.

With a strong technical background and a keen ear for detail, Marlon is committed to delivering the highest quality sound for every project. He is always looking for new ways to push the boundaries and take his work to the next level.

As a forward-thinking audio engineer, Marlon is constantly striving to build a bright future for himself and the industry as a whole. With his experience, passion, and commitment to excellence, he is poised to make a significant impact in the world of music and sound.

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