How Much Artists & Managers Earn Revealed In 'The Bass Line' Music Industry Report

Today (12 June), Music Australia—a dedicated new arts body within Creative Australia—has unveiled a new report that examines the music industry's economic contributions to Australia. The report also reveals how much artists and their managers are getting paid from music.

The report, fittingly titled The Bass Line: Charting The Economic Contribution Of Australia’s Music Industry, “establishes the first nationally consistent methodology and analysis of the direct economic contribution of Australia’s music industry.”

It outlines how, in the 2023-24 financial year, the Australian music industry generated revenues of $8.78 billion and contributed $2.82 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) to the Australian economy.

Other positives include music recording, production, label services and distribution contributing $790 million in revenue, music exports contributing an estimated total of $975 million to the industry revenue, and an estimated 12 million people attending contemporary live music events and festivals in Australia in the 2023-2024 financial year.

However, the figures are stark for Australian artists and their managers. For “activities associated with the professional development and management of artists’ careers,” managers contributed $195 million in revenue in 2024, $10 million in export revenue, and $92 million in GVA.

Sounds good, right? But those figures don’t align with artists’ managers’ income. There are more than 200 artist managers in Australia. According to the report, artist managers who are sole traders have an average income of $36,000. Approximately one-third of managers in Australia work three or more days a week.

Of the $871,000 average income of artist management businesses, 32% was earned from overseas. Artist managers typically work for six and a half years before they receive steady incomes in Australia.

The numbers for artists are even more bleak. The estimated value of Australian artist contributions in 2024 was $860 million, while the approximate median income earned by an Australian artist was $14,700. 47% of an artist's income stemmed from live music performances, while royalties comprised just 23%.

The report makes it clear that activities other than releasing and touring music are other sources of income for artists, such as teaching fees (7%), session fees (5%), merchandise sales (3%), government grants (3%), sponsorships, branding and other promotions (1%), while synchronisation placement fees, commissions, and advances make up 11% of artist income.

Upon sharing the Bass Line report today, Music Australia Director Millie Millgate said: “Australians know instinctively—and research confirms—that music brings us together, supports our well-being, and enriches our lives. While the social and cultural value of music is understood, this report is the first comprehensive, end-to-end, and segmented analysis of its economic contribution.”

“The Bass Line will be an ongoing annual series, providing a valuable tool for those working across all parts of the music industry. This first edition provides a baseline repeatable measurement of music’s impact and value.”

Creative Australia's The Bass Line report can be viewed here.