The Bad Penny (beta)

From the “starving artist” lore of yore to Woody Guthrie illegally hopping trains as a method of touring to record labels, promoters, and clubs ripping off bands, artists have struggled to make ends meet since the dawn of … (commercial) art. And we didn’t even mention gear theft, vans breaking down, and natural disasters (until we did just now).

Resilient bands sometimes overcome such hurdles thanks to their fans’ generosity, if the musicians are wise and savvy enough to build, grow, and maintain their fanbase. Other bands get big(ger) through contracts involving their music, merchandise, tours, and marketing. Yet even more broke bands manage to succeed by keeping their costs low—or simply getting lucky.