What South African musicians earn from CD sales
South African musicians were found to earn just under ten percent of the selling price of their CDs. This data was collected with research done by the Rapport.
It is widespread knowledge that little is to be made from the sale of CDs for artists all over the world. Modern day musicians rely on regular touring and corporate gigs in order to make some real money. Many other successful artists make the most out of their public personas by creating and selling a variety of different products.
The understanding is that the fame only lasts as long as it does and a business grown out of and bolstered by celebrity could prove to be a profitable fall back in the future.
Some successful South African musicians however do make a significant amount of money from CD sales. The Afrikaans singer and songwriter Theuns Jordaan, reportedly made more than R1.7 million on the sales of his album titled, Vreemde Stad.
According to the Rapport, Theuns Jordaan made R8.33 from each of the two hundred and ten thousand copies of his CDs that were sold, this means he earned R1,749,300.
How the revenue is split
Most of the money made on the sale of CDs goes to the retailer, while the record label, distribution, printing costs, and VAT make up the rest.
Check out the graphic on how the money on CD sales is split:
According to the Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA), CD sales have declined by nearly thirty percent per year since 2012. It is this that has changed the number of copies that needs to be sold in order for an artist to reach gold and platinum status.
As a South African musician, in order to reach gold status you have to sell as many as fifteen thousand copies. And if you are looking to go platinum then you have to sell thirty thousand copies of your CD.
