If you have a passion for music and want to take your experience to the next level, starting a business in the industry may be the perfect opportunity for you.
The good news is, there are so many opportunities to become a musical entrepreneur and build an innovative product/service in this line of work.
We put a list together below of the most profitable business opportunities you can start today + the resources you need to get started.
1. Become a music blogger ($12K/year)
DJ Tobander from Stuttgart started DJ Tobander about 6 years ago, a music blogger.
- Revenue: $996/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location: Stuttgart
In 2018 I already did blogging for about 10 years. I have sold a couple of copies of my “How-To-Guides” but nothing memorable. This was kind of frustrating as this was the kind of stuff other DJs told me they want to learn. Unfortunately, it seemed no one actually wanted to pay for it.
This seemed kind of strange because all the business books and info product gurus out there all were telling to ASK your customers what they want. In my case, everybody told me they wanted to become better at djing and play more gigs. But nobody actually wanted to pay for products like this.
So one day I noticed that I always get a lot of questions about my DJ sets at special occasions like weddings or birthdays: what kind of music I was playing, what my starting song as if I have any secret weapons when there’s nobody dancing and so on. So I just made a small collection of my playlists from that year and also looked out for other public DJ sets that I liked on blogs or websites. I then put my favorite sets into a pdf made it look nice and sent it to my mailing list.
2. Start a music school ($24K/year)
Meenakshi S from Chennai started Art Splash Academy of Fine Arts over 5 years ago, a music school.
- Revenue: $2,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 12
- Location: Chennai
My paternal grandfather was my mentor in Indian music. He taught me Carnatic vocals when I was 4 years old. He was my inspiration. My maternal grandfather was a businessman who ran hotels, lodges, oil and rice mills, spares shops, etc. He too was my inspiration. My mom will always be an inspiration to me as she taught me righteousness and virtues.
Also, my school provided great exposure to dance and vocal, both being my passion. I had participated in various cultural competitions and events during school and got recognized and awarded by our Chief Minister and Governor at that time. I even performed in the International sports festival inauguration dance that happened in India during my grade 12. The thrill was the music was composed by our Oscar awardee AR Rahman, India's pride. I used to be actively participating in Lions club events, competitions, and Bookfair every year.
To start any business we need to have the investment and I definitely wanted to save for that big day. It took me years and I decided after my younger kid was born. I wanted to balance my work and family life better, without compromising both and also keep them growing.
3. Start a video production company ($7.2M/year)
Hope Horner from Los Angeles, California, USA started Lemonlight almost 7 years ago, a video production company.
- Revenue: $600,000/ month
- Founders: 3
- Employees: 45
- Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
I grew up in Johnson City, TN - a small town in the northeast corner of the state. For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of moving to Los Angeles and starting my own business. When I was 18, I moved to LA to attend college and haven’t left yet.
I started my first business in 2008 when the startup culture was very limited in Los Angeles. Resources were scarce and it was difficult to learn how to start and run a company with no experience. Nonetheless, I trudged through the journey for a few years trying to figure it out. It was filled with some success and a lot of learning lessons, but ultimately, it didn’t end the way I had hoped. I spent a few more years working with startup companies and learning more about the landscape and how to hone my skills as a leader and entrepreneur.
In April of 2014, I started my second company, Lemonlight, out of a second bedroom with my two co-founders, Daniel Marlow, and Chad Rogers. Lemonlight’s mission was to offer small and medium-sized businesses access to high-quality, affordable video content that they could use to advertise their brand online.
4. Become a recording artist
Examples of a successful recording artist:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a recording artist:
- Becoming A Recording Artist Vs Becoming A Performing Artist
- How To Start A Music Career With No Support
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start And Run Your Own Record Label, Third Edition: Winning Marketing Strategies For Today's Music Industry
- Music & Money: A Success Guide For Female Music Creators, Recording Artists, Songwriters And Musicians: How To Start A Music Career & Succeed In Music Business - Make Money From Your Music Now!
5. Start a guitar company ($1.2M/year)
Adam Klosowiak from Provo, Utah, USA started KLOS Guitars over 5 years ago, a guitar company.
- Revenue: $100,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 13
- Location: Provo, Utah, USA
KLOS Guitars is the first company that I started. And how I got here is quite the unconventional path.
I’m from the suburbs of Chicago originally. After graduating high school I went to Princeton University to study electrical engineering with an emphasis on semiconductor physics, which was fueled by my passion for science and a curiosity of how things work.
I first dipped my toes into entrepreneurship my junior year when I entered into a Hackathon with two of my peers. The three of us felt that our curriculum was too theoretical and we wanted to test our hands on skills by building something practical. We came up with Dorm Control, which was a bluetooth controlled power strip that you could control via your phone.
6. Create a voice recording platform ($0/year)
Nicholas Phair from London, UK started telbee over 1 year ago, a voice recording platform.
- Revenue: $0/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 4
- Location: London, UK
Before telbee, I had founded a couple of other businesses - I’ve always been an entrepreneur by nature.
At the time that I came up with the idea of telbee, I was working in the insurance space, but taking some time out to reflect deeply on what my goals for the next five years were.
When I first came up with the idea of launching a business around voice tech, it was based on a simple realization: While modern automation does help make things quicker and easier for businesses, we seem to have lost a lot of the personal side of business-to-customer relationships.
7. Start a digital magazine ($600K/year)
Drew Williams from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started SWAGGER Magazine almost 14 years ago, a digital magazine.
- Revenue: $50,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 25
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Honestly, the idea started as a hobby.
When I started the blog in 2007, it was meant to be an alternative to the major men’s magazines on shelves because the magazine industry still hadn’t fully accepted the fact that everything was going digital and that print would be dying a slow and painful death. I wanted men to have access to cool guy things online, as well as dating advice, with a focus on realistic male acquisitions instead of focusing on things your average guy could not afford. Promoting the "fake it till you make it mentality".
I had worked for a magazine called Performance Auto and Sound Magazine pasmag.com, so I had in-depth knowledge about the business from a print perspective.
8. Start a youtube channel ($72K/year)
Jon Shanahan from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA started The Kavalier about 6 years ago, a YouTube channel.
- Revenue: $6,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 1
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
My days with a camera can be traced back to my parents’ Sony Handycam when I was 6 directing my friends to make mini movies (still somewhere around here on VHS) but high school was a defining time for that passion as I joined the video club.
There’s certainly no substitute for hard work and dedicating thoughtful time to what you’re working on. I’ve published over 500 videos in the last three years and it takes a lot of time and effort to get there but if you show up everyday you will be ahead.
I was a distracted student in high school but my one reprieve was making videos at the direction of my teacher Brad Schulte. One of my earliest projects is still on YouTube which received 700k views at a time when that was a big deal. Most of those views came from people searching for keywords which planted a seed.
9. Start a mobile karaoke experience ($144K/year)
Kelli L Bielema from Seattle, Washington, USA started The AirScream over 1 year ago, a mobile karaoke experience.
- Revenue: $12,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 2
- Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
The two of us met while working at Deloitte. I (Kelli) was an operations manager with an extensive background in event and entertainment production including creating live experiences at Universal Studios Hollywood. Vanessa was a year one CPA fresh out of the University of Washington who realized within just a few months in at the fall tax deadline that this was not her jam. She decided to jump ship and start a DJ & Karaoke Service. Barely a year later, I left the firm, as well as my then part-time event production company, began to take off & I was finally able to commit to it 100% when I got a contract with Boeing.
In just months after both launching our businesses respectively, our client rosters began to grow. Vanessa’s company and namesake moniker, Baby Van Beezly, dove into the private and corporate event vendor realm, spinning party tunes and wedding marches. My clients with my company, Shindig Events, began to move away from private individuals to corporate entities such as PopCap Games, Adobe, Boston Consulting Group, Oculus, and Facebook. I was able to hire Vanessa for all sorts of gigs over the course of the next 6 years.
While Vanessa’s Baby Van Beezly biz began to really take off, my Shindig Events were coming to a close. After 7 years I was ready for a change, a stress break and launched back into day-job land, where I currently reside. But there’s always that itch to do something creative and event-related so a side hustle was inevitable.
10. Start a music streaming app
Examples of a successful music streaming app:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music streaming app:
11. Start an online courses business ($60K/year)
Lidiya Kesarovska from The Netherlands started Let's Reach Success almost 8 years ago, a online courses business.
- Revenue: $5,000/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 0
- Location: The Netherlands
Back in 2013, I had already discovered my passion - personal development - and had realized writing is the best way to express myself. So I combined these and started a self-improvement blog.
Starting the blog was the best decision and not giving up on it over the years (even when no traffic or money was coming in) was what helped me move forward.
It was first just a hobby and I knew nothing about blogging. Over the years, after publishing a ton of content, gaining traffic, learning about SEO, email marketing, social media, and all the ways to monetize a blog, it became a real business.
12. Start a music licensing business ($2.52M/year)
Aaron Green from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA started Easy Song Licensing over 15 years ago, a music licensing business.
- Revenue: $210,000/ month
- Founders: 2
- Employees: 6
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
I grew up with my business partner, Mark Meikle, in Plymouth, Minnesota (Mark is the President of ESL). We attended the Robbinsdale Spanish Language Immersion Elementary School in Golden Valley, MN, starting in the fall of 1987. This was the first public school in Minnesota to incorporate the Spanish language within the curriculum at the same time as English (learning to read/write/speak/math/science in a bilingual fashion K-5).
The old entrepreneurial saying comes to mind; ‘you need to reinvent yourself every 4-5 years to maintain success’, which we can personally attest to. Staying rigid and stubborn regarding your original business plan and execution can only lead to dead-ends if you do not experience any hint of the growth you were anticipating.
There, we were fortunate to meet 10 of our life-long best friends, whom we are still close with today. With the exception of college, Mark and I were classmates from kindergarten all the way through our graduation from Armstrong High School. Mark is one of my childhood best friends, who was always one of the smartest in our grade, as well as the fastest-running kid. Me, being a little overweight growing up, would use my early sales skills and motivation tactics to coach Mark around the running track and various sports in elementary school, so we’ve always been a team since the beginning of our friendship.
13. Start an app for music producers ($744/year)
Karan Beghi from London, England, United Kingdom started Musicspace about 1 year ago, a app for music producers.
- Revenue: $62/ month
- Founders: 1
- Employees: 1
- Location: London, England, United Kingdom
I’ve always loved talking about my personal journey, especially about how my first startup failed because It scaled too fast when I was 18, after leaving school to pursue growing it. Even after my first failure, I knew I just couldn’t be told what to do without it sparking my creativity. I love working in teams and working on tasks, but just not the aspect of someone telling me what to do and when. Thankfully, I’ve since grown in terms of my business acumen, and enjoy learning from so many talented and hardworking entrepreneurs online who give me so much hope and inspiration for my personal and business life.
It took about 2-3 failed project ideas before launching Avora Now & Musicspace. Avora Now is an invite-only music distribution platform I launched back in 2018 for artists and producers. If you’re familiar with music distribution income, you’d know that it takes a musician about 3-4 months before they receive their first payment for a song they’ve released, which led me to a new dilemma --- How on earth would I be able to survive long term if it took 3-4 months before an artist makes money from our platform? Bear in mind, Avora only makes money when our artists do, using a revenue share model. Fast-forward a year, I had grown Avora’s Instagram page to thousands of followers reaching tens of thousands of engaged musicians each week. But the same issue remained once again - We just weren’t making anything yet. In fact, I was hustling to make money selling album cover art designs on Fiverr.com, doing one-to-one Instagram consultations, selling promotional slots on my Spotify playlist, Instagram shoutouts, money from my partner and money from my parents. I owe it all to my loved ones who stood by me throughout it all.
So then it hit me hard…. Why don’t I create a new platform that could benefit users instantly, instead of having to wait 3-4 months for them to enjoy the real value? -- In came Musicspace.
14. Become a local event artist
Examples of a successful local event artist:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a local event artist:
- Earn $5,000 Per Week Hosting Local Events (On Meetup, Eventbrite And Facebook)
- Get $1,000 To $50,000 Covid Grants To Repair Car/Home, Rent/Mortgage, Business, Marketing, Arts
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Become An Event Planner: The Three Necessary Steps To Begin Your Event Planning Career
- The Business Of Event Planning: Behind-The-Scenes Secrets Of Successful Special Events
15. Become a song writer
Examples of a successful song writer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a song writer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Beating Songwriter's Block: Jump-Start Your Words And Music
- How To Get Started As A Singer-Songwriter: Building A Career From The Ground Up In 7 Months Or Less
16. Start an antique instrument business
Examples of a successful antique instrument business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a antique instrument business:
- Antique Collectors Excited About Ancient Medical Instruments
- Antique Instrument Case Hinge And Strap Replacement
For further info, check out these books and products:
17. Become a conductor
Examples of a successful conductor:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a conductor:
For further info, check out these books and products:
18. Become a theme song creator
Examples of a successful theme song creator:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a theme song creator:
- The Making Of Randy Orton’s “Voices”: Wwe Behind The Theme
- Breaking Down D-Generation X’s Entrance Music: Wwe Behind The Theme
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Essential Songs For Kids - Every Move I Make By Various
- Sonic The Hedgehog (Main Theme) By Tv Mania Orchestra On
19. Become a street performer
Examples of a successful street performer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a street performer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Street Workout: A Worldwide Anthology Of Urban Calisthenics--How To Sculpt A God-Like Physique Using Nothing But Your Environment
- Street View Tracer: Appstore For Android
20. Start a song licensing business
Examples of a successful song licensing business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a song licensing business:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start Your Music Business: How To Earn Royalties, Own Your Music, Sample Music, Protect Your Name & Structure Your Music B
- Open For Business: A Practical Guide To Open Source Software Licensing -- Second Edition
21. Become a music tutor
Examples of a successful music tutor:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music tutor:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Music For Kids: When To Start Piano Lessons
- Piano Book For Adult Beginners: Teach Yourself How To Play Famous Piano Songs, Read Music, Theory & Technique (Book & Streaming Video Lessons)
22. Become a voice coach ($9.6K/year)
Examples of a successful voice coach:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a voice coach:
- Cute Beginning Singer And Vocal Coach (En Subs) Cheryl Porter
- How To Become A Voice Coach - 11 Tips For Professional Singers (Earn Real Money Teaching 2019)
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Voice For Hire: Launch And Maintain A Lucrative Career In Voice-Overs
- The Art Of Voice Acting: The Craft And Business Of Performing For Voice-Over
23. Become a music producer
Examples of a successful music producer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music producer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
24. Start a record label owner
Examples of a successful record label owner:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a record label owner:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Start And Run Your Own Record Label, Third Edition: Winning Marketing Strategies For Today's Music Industry
- How To Start Your Own Successful Record Label In 21 Days
25. Become an event promotor
Examples of a successful event promotor:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a event promotor:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Event Marketing: How To Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions, And Expositions
- Event Planning: Management & Marketing For Successful Events: Become An Event Planning Pro & Create A Successful Event Series
26. Become a band manager
Examples of a successful band manager:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a band manager:
- How To Become A Band Manager / Band Management / Advice On Managing An Artist
- What Does A Manager Do?
For further info, check out these books and products:
27. Become a sound engineer
Examples of a successful sound engineer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a sound engineer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Audio Engineering 101: A Beginner's Guide To Music Production
- The Recording Engineer's Handbook 4th Edition
28. Become a sound effects producer
Examples of a successful sound effects producer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a sound effects producer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Audio Theater Guide: Vocal Acting, Writing, Sound Effects And Directing For A Listening Audience
- Car Trying To Start By Sound Effects On Amazon Music
29. Become a studio owner
Examples of a successful studio owner:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a studio owner:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- So You Want To Open A Yoga Studio
- Start Your Own Wholesale Distribution Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide To Success
30. Become a video game audio creator
Examples of a successful video game audio creator:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a video game audio creator:
For further info, check out these books and products:
31. Become a parody artist
Examples of a successful parody artist:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a parody artist:
- Solluminati Videos Be Like (Parody) Animated
- Nathan For You - Dumb Starbucks - Becoming A Parody Artist
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
- Art Of Candle Making Business Startup
32. Start a music therapy company
Examples of a successful music therapy company:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music therapy company:
- Music Therapy - How To Start A Music Therapy Business
- Find Your Voice Music Therapy - Kedco Starter Company Video
For further info, check out these books and products:
33. Become a music video director
Examples of a successful music video director:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music video director:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Making Youtube Videos: Star In Your Own Video!
- How To Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck: Advice To Make Any Amateur Look Like A Pro
34. Start a music podcast
Examples of a successful music podcast:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music podcast:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Podcast Launch: How to Create & Launch Your Podcast: Plus FreePodcastCourse.com!
- Podcast: Learn How To Stop Babbling & Start Podcasting Like A Pro
35. Start an instrument rental service
Examples of a successful instrument rental service:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a instrument rental service:
- Steps To Success: How To Rent An Instrument
- Band Instrument Rental, Purchase, And Service Information.
36. Become a festival organizer
Examples of a successful festival organizer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a festival organizer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Home-Based Professional Organizing Business
- How To Start A Home-Based Professional Organizing Business
37. Start an instrument repair business
Examples of a successful instrument repair business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a instrument repair business:
- How To Get Started In Band Instrument Repair
- What Tools Are In A Brass And Woodwind Musical Instrument Repair Shop Daily Vlog 5-21-14
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Small Engine Repair Business Book: How To Start, Get Government Grants, Market, & Write A Business Plan For Your Small Engine Repair Business
- How To Start And Run A Successful Guitar Repair Business: Practical Tips For The New Entrepreneur
38. Start a music clothing line
Examples of a successful music clothing line:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music clothing line:
- How To Start A Clothing Line With $0 Dollars | Legit Step by Step Tutorial
- How To Start A Clothing Line !!! Step By Step Exposing All The Secrets & Tips To Get Started !!!
For further info, check out these books and products:
39. Become a voiceover artist
Examples of a successful voiceover artist:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a voiceover artist:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start And Build A Six Figure Voice Over Business
- How To Be A Voice Over Actor - Kindle Edition By Smithee
40. Become a social media influencer
Examples of a successful social media influencer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a social media influencer:
- How To Become An Influencer In 2020
- How To Become A Social Media Influencer? How To Work With Brands
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Social Media Marketing Workbook: How To Use
- Social Media Marketing 2020: Build Your Brand And Become
41. Become a music reviewer
Examples of a successful music reviewer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music reviewer:
- How To Become A Paid Music Reviewer!! (100% Legit Way To Make Money Online)
- Paul Harrison The Music Reviewer Reacts To What Have We Become By Sonic Speed
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start Your Own Music Publishing Company
- Build Your Music Career From Scratch: A Step By Step Guide To Becoming A Successful Artist
42. Become a music app developer
Examples of a successful music app developer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music app developer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- How To Start A Home-Based Mobile App Developer Business
- Apps: Beginner's Guide For App Programming, App Development, App Design
43. Become a talent hunter
Examples of a successful talent hunter:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a talent hunter:
- Hunter Price: Simon Cowell Requests Second Song From Performer - America's Got Talent 2018
- Can You Master The Beasts? 8.3 Bm Hunter Guide
For further info, check out these books and products:
- So You Want To Be A Talent Agent?: Everything You Need To Know To Start Your Own Local Talent Booking Agency
- The End We Start From
44. Become a dance choreographer
Examples of a successful dance choreographer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a dance choreographer:
For further info, check out these books and products:
45. Start a night club
Examples of a successful night club:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a night club:
For further info, check out these books and products:
46. Start a dance tutorial blog
Examples of a successful dance tutorial blog:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Dance Lessons 101: The Basics And Beyond
- Wordpress For Beginners 2019: A Visual Step-By-Step Guide To Mastering Wordpress (Webmaster Series)
47. Become a mobile DJ
Examples of a successful mobile DJ:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a mobile DJ:
For further info, check out these books and products:
- The Mobile Dj Handbook: How To Start & Run A Profitable Mobile Disc Jockey Service
- How To Start A Dj Business
48. Become a fan page administrator
Examples of a successful fan page administrator:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a fan page administrator:
- Add An Admin To A Facebook Page [Desktop & Mobile]
- How To Make Administrator On Facebook Fan Page Video Tutorial
For further info, check out these books and products:
49. Start a souvenir shop
Examples of a successful souvenir shop:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a souvenir shop:
For further info, check out these books and products:
50. Become a music publicist
Examples of a successful music publicist:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a music publicist:
- The Difference Between A Manager, Publicist, Marketing Firm, Booking Agent & Publisher
- How To Become A Publicist
For further info, check out these books and products:
- Be Your Own Best Publicist: How To Use Pr Techniques To Get Noticed, Hired, And Rewarded At Work
- The Ultimate Guide To Music Publicity
51. Become an entertainment lawyer
Examples of a successful entertainment lawyer:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a entertainment lawyer:
- How To Become An Entertainment Attorney With Davey Jay Of Meehle And Jay
- Entertainment Lawyer Discusses Law School, Negotiating With Bad Boy, And Free Legal Advice!
For further info, check out these books and products:
52. Start a wedding band business
Examples of a successful wedding band business:
Here are some great videos on how to get started with a wedding band business:
For further info, check out these books and products:

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