Get Paid to Listen to Music: 9 Legit Ways in 2024

We’ll be honest—unless you have an established audience on Spotify or another social media platform, getting paid to listen to music might not be possible. While there are a few platforms that can make it happen—which we’ll share below—they don’t pay much. You may find opportunities like working at a music store or joining a band more worthwhile.

3 Ways to Get Paid to Listen to Music (That Require an Audience)

1. SoundCampaign (Up to $14 per song review)

SoundCampaign is a platform that connects up-and-coming artists with owners of popular Spotify playlists. In exchange for placing the artist’s song onto their playlist, curators receive around $14 per song placed.

While becoming a curator on SoundCampaigns sounds like a sweet deal, it isn’t for everyone. To apply, you’ll need at least 1,000 organic followers on a Spotify playlist.

2. Music Gateway ($25,000 to $50,000 per year)

Similar to SoundCampain, Music Gateway only works for people with an established platform, like a radio host, streamer, or professional playlist curator. If you fall into one of those buckets, however, you have the potential to earn an additional $25,000 to $50,000 per year, according to Music Gateway.

As a curator, you’d review song submissions and determine whether you want to place it on your playlist or show. You’re compensated for each submission review, with 2,500 submissions earning you roughly $1,025.

3. PlaylistPush ($15 per song review)

PlaylistPush is the same as SoundCampaign—get paid $15 per song review as a Spotify playlist curator. You’ll need at least 1,000 followers on a Spotify playlist, with a minimum of 30 active monthly listeners.

3 Ways to Get Paid to Listen to Music (That Don’t Require an Audience)

4. SliceThePie ($0.01 to $0.20 per review)

According to SliceThePie, they’re the largest paid review site on the internet. While that’s quite the claim, they have promising reviews on TrustPilot to back it up.

After creating an account on the platform, you’d earn a few cents to provide your feedback on audio tracks, clothing, and other aspects of an artists’ work. While it isn’t a huge amount, their website claims they’ve paid out over $8 million in earnings to people like you.

5. Earnably (Varies)

Earnably is a generic platform for earning money completing tasks, surveys, and offers—similar to platforms like Freecash and KashKick. You’ll receive a variety of opportunities to earn, some of which include reviewing songs, radio stations, or music videos. Once you’ve earned enough to cash out, you can redeem via PayPal or gift card.

6. Cash4Minutes (Varies)

Cash4Minutes allows you to monetize your unused phone minutes. Once you’re registered, you’ll receive a list of phone numbers to call, tuning you into a radio broadcast. The longer you stay on the call, the more you’ll earn.

While some broadcasts will automatically end after a certain number of minutes, you can simply redial the number and continue listening. According to Cash4Minutes, they’ve paid out roughly $14 million to users since 2014. Payments are sent weekly via bank transfer, PayPal, Bitcoin, or charity donation.

Sites to Avoid

When searching for ways to get paid to listen to music, you’ll find lengthy blogs positioning 101 options as equally incredible. The reality? Some of the sites on those lists suck.

Here are a few commonly-recommended platforms we discovered during our research that are better to stay away from.

Research.fm

While Research.fm claims to be a research company for local radio stations, we found their website to be confusing. We spent several minutes clicking through each page of the website and couldn’t figure out how to sign up as a research participant. While their phone number is listed, calling seems inefficient—especially if there are hundreds of people calling.

You may have better luck participating in their studies through a review platform like Swagbucks. According to some avid Swagbucks users, they’ve had a decent experience with Research.fm when the study was facilitated through the Swagbucks platform.

RadioEarn

RadioEarn earned a mere 2.1 out of 5 stars on TrustPilot, with several reviewers claiming they never received payment. Our goal is to provide you with ways to earn money, not waste your time. And based on the experience of other users, the platform doesn’t seem worth exploring. You’d be better off spending your time exploring other side hustles.

HitPredictor

Previously, HitPredictor allowed music enthusiasts to review songs in exchange for a few bucks here and there. While it remains on many lists similar to this one, the platform shut down in 2023.

Current Rewards

We wanted to love Current Rewards, but we weren’t impressed. While the app received a solid 4.5 stars on the App Store, most of the positive reviews were from several years ago. Recent reviews complained of issues redeeming their points, points randomly disappearing, and an excessive amount of ads.

Some reviewers claimed the platform was great, earning them a bit of cash. But given that their online reviews aren’t so great either, we don’t think it’s worth investing time into.

Other Ways to Get Paid to Listen to Music

If you don’t mind leaving the comfort of your home, some of these in-person, music-focused side hustles might pique your interest.

7. Work in a Music Store (Varies)

Guitar Center, the largest musical instrument company in the United States, is almost always hiring for positions in their corporate offices, retail stores, and music education programs.

Salaries at Guitar Center range, which makes sense given the variety of roles:

• Sales Associate: $12.30 per hour
• Guitar Instructor: $16.60 per hour
• Store Manager: $59,141
• Project Manager: $98,290 per year

Plus, workers seem pretty satisfied with the working environment.

8. Become a DJ ($41 per hour)

As a DJ, you’d play pre-recorded tracks for audiences at nightclubs, birthday parties, weddings, and other events. While it does take some effort to get a DJ business up and running, DJs earn $41 per hour, on average. With that in mind, it’s worth checking out.

9. Join a Band ($300 to $500 per show)

Now, we’re not saying you need to become the next John Lennon, but starting a band with your buddies might be more profitable than you think. Cover bands for private events and corporate gigs earn an average of $300 to $500 per show.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Get Paid to Listen to Music?

If you have an established Spotify or social media audience, getting paid to listen to music is fairly straightforward. If you don’t, there are a few platforms like Earnably and SliceThePie that will offer a few dollars here and there. Another way you can get paid is by selling your gold.

Can I Make $100 a Day Listening to Music?

Based on our research, you can’t make $100 per day listening to music. If your goal is to make $100 per day with your side hustle, we’d recommend more profitable endeavors like teaching English online or freelancing.

How can someone with an established audience make money by listening to music?

People with a notable presence on platforms like Spotify can leverage opportunities provided by services such as SoundCampaign, Music Gateway, and PlaylistPush, where you can get paid up to $14 per song review or curate playlists for compensation. These platforms require a significant follower base (at least 1,000 organic followers for SoundCampaign) and offer a way to monetize your influence by helping new artists get discovered.

Are there any ways to earn money by listening to music without having a large following?

Yes, there are platforms such as SliceThePie, Earnably, and Cash4Minutes that offer opportunities to earn money by listening to music, reviewing tracks, or even monetizing unused phone minutes to tune into radio broadcasts. These platforms don’t require an established audience but tend to offer smaller payouts, making them better suited for supplemental income rather than a primary earnings source.

What challenges might I face when looking to get paid to listen to music, and are there any platforms to avoid?

Finding reliable and worthwhile platforms can be a challenge, as many sites promising payment for music listening offer minimal compensation. It's also important to steer clear of platforms with poor reputations, such as Research.fm, RadioEarn, and Current Rewards, which have been critiqued for confusing user interfaces, failure to pay, and other issues according to user reviews. Always conduct thorough research and read recent user feedback before committing your time to any platform.