A Transparent Breakdown of My Trailer Music Income

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Hey everyone,

I often see questions and confusion about whether pursuing a career in Trailer & Production Music is still worthwhile, and what kind of income one can realistically expect.

To shed some light on this, I've decided to provide a complete breakdown of my earnings from Trailer & Production Music in this post.

It's important to note that over the last few years, I haven't landed any major sync placements (i.e., my music wasn't frequently featured in blockbuster movie trailers or large-scale promotional campaigns during this specific period).

My earnings primarily reflect tv and internet royalties.

Here’s a look at the numbers:

The screenshot you'll see below displays my quarterly payments, starting around the end of 2014.

I currently have 588 tracks registered with my Performing Rights Organization (BMI). It’s crucial to understand that this number includes alternate mixes and shorter edits (cut-downs).

For instance, if an album features 10 original compositions, and for each of those, there's an original mix, a non-choir version, a percussion-only mix, and an ambient mix, that single album would contribute 40 registered tracks.

If I sum up all my earnings over the past decade (approximately since late 2014) and divide that total by these 588 registered tracks, it averages out to roughly $80 per track, per year. (I'll let you do the math to calculate the grand total! 😉)

For additional context on my release schedule:

My most recent trailer album was released in the 2022-2023 timeframe. Before that, there was a gap in album releases stretching back to 2018. Prior to 2018, I had more regular releases, although these weren't always full albums, nor were they released at a strictly consistent pace.

Of course, no one can predict what the future holds. However, in my experience, success and sustained income in this field often boil down to a combination of consistency in output, the quality and reach of the music libraries and companies you collaborate with, and the effectiveness of your publishers.

You can never truly know in advance how a track or album will perform; understanding often comes from looking back and analyzing the data.

If you have questions, write them down in the comments 👇

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