📘 1000 Side Hustle Ideas Home ← Investing & Money-Making Systems ← Royalties & Licensing Income
HUSTLE #948 10.5 Royalties & Licensing Income

Buy Music Royalties on Royalty Exchange for Existing Passive Cash Flow

💰 Startup Cost $5,000-$50,000
⏰ Time/wk 1-3 hrs
📊 Difficulty ★★★★☆
🏆 1st Month $ $20-$300
💵 Monthly Range $100-$1,500+
⏱ First $ In 1-2 months
Royalty Exchange, SongVest, ANote Music
Rather than creating new intellectual property, buy existing music royalty streams from songs already earning income. Royalty Exchange auctions royalty rights to songs by established artists — you buy a percentage of future streaming, radio play, and sync licensing revenue. A song generating $2,000 per year in royalties might sell for $8,000-$12,000, giving you a 16-25% annual cash yield. Each quarter, you receive a royalty check from ASCAP/BMI distributions and streaming services.
🚀 First Step
Browse active auctions on Royalty Exchange, analyze one catalog's 3-year royalty history, and place a bid on a catalog that fits your budget.
  • Look for catalogs with at least 3 years of stable or growing royalty history — avoid catalogs relying on one hit that might fade
  • Target catalogs with diverse income sources (streaming + radio + sync licensing) rather than relying solely on Spotify streams
  • Bid based on a 15-20% target yield on your purchase price; do not overpay for growth that is not guaranteed
🛠 Tools & Resources: Royalty Exchange, SongVest, ANote Music, ASCAP, BMI