COVID Taught Us Something Important: Musicians Need More Than One Income Stream

When the pandemic hit, it became painfully clear how fragile a musician’s income really is. Venues closed, concerts were canceled, and thousands of musicians suddenly found themselves without work. As the msician Hemmeth observed, many realized they were standing on just one leg – live income – and when that leg was cut away, there was nothing left to support them.

One income stream is not enough

For most professional musicians, live shows are the main source of income. But COVID showed us that it’s not enough. Streaming pays far too little, and without other ways to make money – like teaching, collaborations, side projects, merch, or freelance work – many musicians quickly faced financial free fall.

Diversifying income isn’t just about surviving crises. It’s also about freedom. With multiple revenue streams, musicians can choose projects with their hearts rather than constantly chasing the next gig just to pay the bills.

Beatnickel as the solution

This is where Beatnickel comes in. We’re building a platform that will bring together multiple income streams for musicians in one place:

- Live jobs and gigs through connections with venues and organizers
- Teaching and mentoring to pass on knowledge to the next generation
- Collaborations and freelance work that create new projects and income
- Community and networking, opening doors to opportunities you can’t find alone

COVID taught us that music can’t stand on one leg. With Beatnickel, we want to give musicians the stronger foundation they need – so they can stand tall no matter what the future brings.