How come singers make so much money?

[red324]

All they have to do is sing and it's just totally natural to them because they were born with a good voice. So why do they get paid so much?

[MrOracle]

Michael Jordan and Labron James made a TON of money for bouncing a ball and tossing it through a hoop. Yet, millions of people play that same game, and the vast majority make nothing at all. Even among the NBA, the vast majority make relatively little money - only a tiny percentage at the very top of the game gain all of the endorsements, acting and voice-over gigs, and so on.

It's the same with singers. Most singers either live at home with their parents or live out of their car if they don't have a day job. FAR less than 1% ever have a song on the Billboard Top 100, and of those who do, most only have one song in it and don't make much money. Only a very, VERY tiny percentage reach the top of the charts, much less multiple times, but those few are not only able to fill concert venues, but are able to get lots of other lucrative endorsements.

Taylor Swift made more money than anyone else in the industry in the last year as a touring musician, but as much as she made touring, she made double that selling clothes, perfume, and makeup via endorsements (i. e., convinced millions of girls to buy all the crap she's selling). Maybe a couple dozen people worldwide make more than a million dollars a year on such endorsements, so it's very few people who can pull that off - a couple of dozen out of the many millions of singers and musicians in the world.

[NamerOfStars]

Most of them don't- you can be a perfectly average businessman, and still make tons of money, but many excellent musicians will go their whole working lives quite poor.

As to those who do... it's quite simple: they promote the notion of limiting things to experts. Ever been around someone who grew up before (or at least without) radio? Notice how they have no trouble breaking into song at a moment's notice, because they never bought into the idea that only those who can sing well should sing?

At the rate things are going, before long we'll be told that only those who can laugh well should laugh.

[Nikki1989]

Most talented musicians make little to no money at all. The music industry or what remains of it has nothing to do with talent, it is all about trends and what they can push onto the gullible music listener. Look what is in the top 100, 99% of it is garbage.

[rachel776]

i work for a highly paid singer and when you can fill stadiums every night they tend to pay you a lot 🤷‍♀️

[NathanDavis]

so you don't know one thing about singing, performing or entertainment business...

got it

[red324]

It's just a high margin industry, nothing more to it than that I guess.

[NathanDavis]

ignorance...

it's like saying...

" why I can't be an astronaut... all they do is seat inside a rocket, up they go... and then walk around on a leash"

"why I can't be an airline pilot... all they do is to sit, and the plane flies itself"

"why I can't be a politician... all they so is sit around, and stand from time to time to say any BS"

[Astarlessnightsky]

Usually they don't.

Only a handfull of musicians make a fortune. The rest of them barely get by.

[RedInnocent68]

Like most arts. Only a small handful do. It’s the same, and in some ways more offensive, with sports.

[The-Stud]

This question is valid for almost every "Celebrity"

[Twalli]

They have to practice a lot and also get extremely lucky. it isn't just coasting. Those that cost are lottery winners

[bededazzle]

because record execs get paid even more lol

[red324]

Song writers get the shaft though usually so I've heard

[bededazzle]

is that right? it makes sense. it really is a crazy industry

[jahaims]

A lot of people will pay to see them live.

[ThrillSeeker01]

Appreciation. Music makes people feel awesome