Music is a central part of each and everyone’s life. I am yet to come across someone who does not appreciate music in some way. Music in itself is a big global industry. The fact that many notable public figures (rich and wealthy ones) are music artists is testament enough. Did you know that the 3 largest music companies in the world rake in roughly US$2.5 million per hour? Those 3 are Universal Music, Sony Music, and Warner Music. It is a notable industry, one that still has lots of untapped potential in Zimbabwe. In this article, I explore some of the music-related business ideas you can consider in Zimbabwe.

Recording Studio Or Label

In Zimbabwe, I have noticed that there is a surge in aspiring music artists. In terms of solid recording studios, we still have a few in Zimbabwe. There is still room for new players to enter the space. I am confident this is a worthy business venture especially in areas outside Harare. There is a lot of untapped musical talent out there and many lack access to good and affordable recording studios. You can make money by making that access available.

Video Production

We have all been witnessing a steady rise in international standard music videos in Zimbabwe. One of the notable names in this space is Blaqs who has done most of Jah Prayzah’s music videos. Recently Blaqs posted on his Instagram saying, ‘Anyone wants to learn filmmaking? Directing, editing, colour grading. Inbox’. Kindly go check his Instagram page for more details. It is good to see industry titans willing to impart their skills and experience to other aspiring video producers. More and more music artists in Zimbabwe are taking videos seriously. This is because of the revenue prospects of posting them on YouTube. Thus you can make money by establishing yourself as the go-to when it comes to video production. Video production is also scalable in that you will not just be confined to music alone.

Online Music Streaming Platform

There is no doubt that online music streaming platforms are crucial to income generation for music artists. Unfortunately Zimbabwean music artists still heavily rely on international platforms e.g. Apple Music. I believe there are prospects in having similar homegrown platforms. Gateway Stream is doing considerably well in that regard but we have barely scratched the surface. We need to see more such Zimbabwean online music streaming platforms sprouting up. This can go a long way in priming people to appreciate the importance of streaming or buying music rather than pirating it. Having homegrown solutions will enable people to pay even in ZWL$ through EcoCash and the like.

Digital Marketing And Social Media Management

These can be separate entities but in this context, they are largely intertwined. These two are essential to musicians because their success is now tied immensely to the internet and social media. They will need someone with the expertise of marketing their music online. They also need someone with the expertise to manage their social media platforms. You can make money by tailoring such services for music artists.

Music Lessons

In music, there is so much to be taught and learnt. Music instruments alone are many and many people seek to be taught how to play. Vocals also need to be taught or trained on – it is a broad spectrum. Even in tertiary learning institutions such as colleges and universities, you find courses on music-related subjects. If you have the resources, skills, and experience you can offer tutorials or courses on music-related subjects. There is so much money to be made here because many people are looking to be taught or trained.

Audio-Visual Equipment Sales Or Hire

The need for such equipment stems from use for recording, video shooting, live events and the like. Typically not many people own good audio-visual equipment. That is why you find most people getting to hire such equipment. If you can source or if you already have such equipment you can offer hiring services. You can even source to sell as well.

Content Creation

You can focus on creating content on music-related matters. It can be reviewing music releases, covering stories on music artists, or profiling key figures in the music industry. You can do this through blogging, vlogging, or podcasting. Generally, people are keenly interested in such content so you are bound to get significant traffic. You can take advantage of all commonly used social media platforms with monetization features.

Legal Advisory Services

If you are a legal professional you can offer your services to music artists. Several months ago there was a heated debate on social media when some music contract leaked. In fact, there has always been chatter about how most music artists are duped in their contracts. This is because many are not abreast with legal aspects or just sign without understanding the implications. That is why I am sure these services are really needed in the music industry.

These are 8 of some of the music-related business ideas for Zimbabwe. We still have lots of untapped potential in the Zimbabwean music industry. Many music artists in Zimbabwe still do not get what they deserve and it is sad. There is a lot of streamlining that must be done. I believe serious pursuance of these business ideas can contribute to making things better.