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Musicians Pay

by Pamela Parker

According to U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Occupational Employment Survey for
2001, musicians and singers make an average yearly income of about
$45,900. In that average are the superstars who make tens of millions a year, so I would guess that far more musicians make less than the average than make more.

I mention this because I think it’s important to remember when the debate over song and performance royalties comes up. There are some musicians who make so much money that it seems unseemly to quibble about royalties. But for most musicians, it is as serious a salary issue as the office worker who expects overtime for working one evening.


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