5 Good and Profitable Reasons Why Musicians Need To Start Livestreaming On Twitch

In 2020, the livestreaming platform Twitch reached peak hype. People shifted to such entertainment platforms, and the platform, once a gaming hub, soon began to attract people with a wide range of interests, including music. Musicians flocked to and started livestreaming on Twitch in the hope of finding an alternative way to connect with their audience in the absence of live gigs. Two years on, is Twitch still a viable platform for musicians? The answer is yes.

livestreaming on twitch

Here are 5 reasons you should start livestreaming on Twitch if you’re a musician

Great way to build a community

Twitch stands out from most other platforms because it manages to promote a relationship between the performer and the audience. Through tools such as “emotes” (the Twitch version of emoticons) and chat, performers can request instant feedback from their audience. For example, this is an excellent way to receive song requests or ask your audience for real-time feedback.

A creative outlet

If you were born to be a performer, Twitch will definitely scratch your itch to perform. It is undoubtedly a super creative outlet, as you need to constantly come up with new ideas to entertain your audience. Whether it’s a song tutorial, cover or impromptu gig, there’s definitely an audience for everything on Twitch.

An alternative way of cutting through the noise

Let’s face it: the entertainment industry is undeniably oversaturated. Therefore, opting for the conventional path to “make it” just doesn’t cut it anymore. Livestreaming on Twitch enables artists to find an alternative way to “make it” by reaching a pool of fans who might not otherwise have discovered their music. It’s definitely a forward-looking path that pays off for a number of musicians. For example, one of Twitch’s most popular artists, The8BitDrummer, currently has zero Spotify listeners, but thousands of fans on Twitch.

Means to grow other platforms

Twitch is an excellent way of growing other platforms. By redirecting people to your website and socials, you’ll not only be increasing your followers and monthly listener count, but you’ll also be increasing ticket sales. Redirecting your Twitch audience to purchase tickets to watch you perform live is a great way of building an online and IRL community of fans who are ready to support your every venture.

A lucrative way of generating revenue

Last but not least, Twitch is a lucrative way to make money. According to Water and Music: “The top 10 music accounts on Twitch by direct earnings make between $50,000 and $400,000 a year from channel subscriptions, ads and Twitch Bit donations. The vast majority of these accounts belong to independent artists, and there is almost no correlation between an artist’s Spotify followers and their Twitch earnings.” By fostering a community, certain artists are able to make serious money simply by livestreaming on Twitch.

Final notes

Before you start livestreaming on Twitch, you should be aware that consistency is crucial when building a fan base on the platform. The average Twitch user spends about 16 hours a week on the platform. Therefore, you must be ready to commit and churn content at least three to four times a week. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re ready to commit, you can potentially see great returns

author

Janelle knows a thing or two about the music industry. Having been involved in the industry since the age of 13, she's now involved in a variety of music-related projects and is always keen to share industry tips 'n' tricks with fellow musicians.