Are you musically inclined and would like to work at home? If so, keep reading for income-generating ideas and work from home careers for music lovers!
For musicians, songwriters, and music lovers, it may feel like your passion is only a hobby. Having a music career may seem far off and implausible. After all, the music industry is tough to break into and is often unpredictable.
Traveling back and forth to gigs, sleeping on sofas, and playing in bars is all right when you’re single with no kids, but for many music-loving adults, it might seem like your music career has passed you by.
Don’t give up on your dream!
There are plenty of work from home careers for music lovers available. If you’re inspired to create music or have an ear for talent, check out these great work from home opportunities!
1. Music Teacher
There are many teaching opportunities online, from math, reading, language, and yes, even music education! Becoming an online music teacher isn’t difficult, especially using a site like Skillshare, Cafetalk, or Outschool. With these platforms, you’ll create your online lessons at home and publish them using their upload tools.
While these platforms have a built-in audience of customers, you’ll also want to promote your classes online using various social media platforms. You earn a cut from each class that is sold. Earnings vary by class length, type, the number of classes you create, and the platform you’re using. Teaching online opens up your availability to students around the globe, so you aren’t limited to teaching music locally. If you’re considering careers for music lovers, teaching music online is a great option.
2. Freelance Music Provider
Do you know many famous singers who don’t write their own lyrics or music? Read the liner notes from Pink, Katy Perry, and other rock stars, and you’ll discover a whole team behind each song. It takes a village—and you can become part of the team if you’ve got talent writing lyrics, mixing music, composing tunes, directing music videos, writing press releases, or even assisting with graphic design for album covers.
To find freelance opportunities for songwriters, musicians, and sound engineering technicians, use a platform like Upwork, SoundBetter, or AirGigs. They connect freelance talent in the music industry with people who need their services. Earnings vary by role and skillset required. If you’re an aspiring composer, you may want to explore The Cue Tube for resources for budding composers.
3. Music Journalism
A friend of mine, who loves music, always knew that he wanted to be a music journalist. In high school, he worked on the school paper, and in college, he got his bachelor’s degree in journalism. Today, he writes for newspapers and magazines as a music critic! Breaking into this career path can be difficult, but if you have a real passion for music and writing, it is possible.
To find freelance music writing jobs, explore Problogger, Guru, FlexJobs, and PeoplePerHour, or check out this list of websites that pay music writers from Writer’s Weekly.
4. Get Paid to Listen to Music
Music fanatics can get paid to listen to music! Sounds too good to be true, right? Sites like Smash.Haus and Slicethepie pay listeners to listen and review new music. Now, you won’t get rich off these sites (pay per song is usually a few cents), but if you love learning about new artists and supporting different music, it’s a fun way to get in on the ground floor. Budding artists put their music on the sites, listeners review and rate their songs, and musicians receive feedback and build their fanbase. Check out this list for more ways to get paid to listen to music!
5. Private Music Teacher
Some people are born with a natural talent, while others must work for it. And that’s where vocal coaches come in and teach projection, breathing techniques, vibrato, and pitch. If you’ve got skills, either vocal or instrumental, share them by coaching others online. To work with aspiring singers and musicians, sign up on platforms like MusicTeacher.com or Lessonface. With these platforms, you’ll create an account and verify your expertise. Once you’re approved, you can connect with students who need your expertise. Each platform will take a small cut of the lesson fee, but you’ll have a built-in audience of people who need your services.
6. Music Curator
Music streaming websites, radio stations, music performance venues, and even festivals use music curators to help them find and plan musical lineups. Imagine selecting talent and creating playlists of your favorite artists to draw in listeners. Even better, this side gig can be done from home! To become a music curator, set up playlists on a platform like Spotify and share your playlists with others. You’ll also want to use social media to promote your music, tagging artists featured in the playlist. As you build your audience, you can monetize through affiliate products, brand sponsorships, artist promotion, and more.
You can also search for gigs on freelance sites like Freelancer and Fiverr or check out One Submit, SoundCampaign, or PlaylistPush, which connect artists with curators. If you’ve got a good ear for music and love curating the perfect playlist, this could be a fun opportunity.
7. Music Therapist
Music is powerful and has the ability to shape our emotions, as well as our mental and even physical health. Music therapists tap into our audial response to use music interventions in a therapeutic setting. This may mean encouraging clients to share their feelings through songwriting, using music to evoke relaxation or cope with trauma, or examining lyrics as a platform for discussion.
Music therapists need a bachelor’s degree, often a master’s degree in music therapy, as well as clinical training and certification. According to Glassdoor.com, the median salary for a music therapist is $66,000 to $106,000 annually, depending on education, experience, and location.
Some music therapists work from home, and FlexJobs occasionally lists opportunities for qualified candidates. Another place to explore for these positions is the American Music Therapy Association.
8. Music Transcriber
Transcription is a job where spoken words and sounds are transferred into written form. Transcriptionists often work in the medical and legal industries, but they can also work in captioning and, yes, music. Bilingual transcriptionists are often responsible for translating song lyrics from their native language so that others can appreciate the lyrics and meaning. Music videos may require captioning for the hard of hearing. Music transcribers may work to transfer a piece of piano music so it’s playable on another instrument, such as a guitar. Music transcribers need a strong knowledge of music theory and an excellent ear.
Watch for freelance music transcriber jobs on sites like My Sheet Music Transcriptions, Welocalize, and Upwork.
9. Content Creator
Whether you’re an aspiring singer, songwriter, or music producer and want a creative outlet, creating your own content and sharing it with the world has never been easier! Whether you use YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or something else, the opportunities are endless!
To start creating content, choose your genre and the platforms you want to use to publish your content on. Once your accounts are ready, start creating regular content and building a fan base. As you grow, you can monetize with affiliate marketing, creator funds, brand sponsorships, merch, and more. One amazing thing about content creation is that you can easily get noticed by studios, record labels, and other key industry players.
In the summer of 2024, Megan Boni (AKA Girl On Couch) crafted the catchy 19-second song on TikTok, I’m Looking for a Man in Finance. Three weeks after she published the song, it had 26 million views! Megan, who worked full-time in sales, got a music deal for her song, and now she is a full-time content creator.
10. Miscellaneous Music-Related Jobs
If you’re looking for a work from home music job, but none of the above seem to fit the bill, check out Music Business Worldwide or Music Jobs. These sites are the go-to resources for music industry jobs. Learn about the many jobs available, from DJ gigs to music publicists, sound designers, ticket and concert promoters, music directors, and so much more. The job listings come from all sorts of companies, including Spotify, Capitol Music Group, local theatres, performing arts schools, production groups, churches, and more!
Remote Careers for Music Lovers Wrapup
The music industry is full of awesome work from home careers for music lovers. Even better? Many of these jobs are flexible and offer opportunities to work from home. If your heart is set on working in a music-based career, it’s possible. Don’t give up on your music dreams. As Journey says: “Don’t stop believin’!”
Originally published April 9, 2018. Content updated April 2025.