financials have been an time keeping up with they’re immense issue. trying and I just I don’t want “Some venues have closed, to, I hope that we don’t lose all so venues that we artists have of our artists because of either depended on as places to go being priced out or being not being able to afford a musician because they’re not getting paid enough.” According to Texas Monthly almost 70% of the musicians in Austin claimed that they are making less than $10,000 a year from music. This is most likely Rock band Moving the reason that less than Panoramas member 22% of Austin musicians Leslie Sison stands commit to live music in the middle of the as a full time. 36% of 3 band members. the people who work (photo courtesy in the music industry, Mike Manewitz) that don’t make music, and share make less than 25,000 our work annually, but that’s still more are no than the musicians. With longer available, “ Sison said. Austin growing so rapidly, and With there being less a higher desire to live here, venues, there is less space musicians aren’t getting paid for musicians to go out and as much, because the money is perform, and to have a great focused elsewhere. time. Now it has become a big Akina Adderly, singer race, to find a venue, and make in “Akina Adderley & Vintage the highest offer and such Playboys Modern” and 2017 things. Black Fret nominated Artist, “The impact that the said. “ Because of the huge influx of people and pandemic. You know, money into our city is having some changes have on artists you know, it’s tough happened, that some artists are having to are permanent [...] move out of sound when they some venues have move away to another city or closed [...]Some whether they just sort of move artists are ready to to the outskirts like to Cedar operate normally, Park or Buda or San Marcos.” and including myself Adderly said. kind of aren’t.” The musician population The bounce back after in Austin is growing quite the pandemic has been yet rapidly, because it is the place another challenge, where to be, but with the big influx The Austinite 29
of people it has made it more difficult. Currently
the issue is there are a lot of musicians and not enough venues, so when all these people come in they lower the chance of success for the
locals.
Now all the new people coming in are not an issue, it’s the money. Musicians could really use some support from the city, whether that is providing support in, financial, housing, or venues, it would make all the difference. As for the digital aspect, this isn’t necessarily part of just the Austin music industry, but it applies everywhere. “I know that right now, currently, in the media, there’s so much controversy going on with like Spotify, and streaming media and how it’s taking advantage of its artists and not paying them enough and what not” Sison said For musicians, online is one of the best ways to get your music heard by more people than you would live, but that has its own issues. People are not making nearly enough on spotify and youtube as they would like.
