You love music.
You play. You create. You gig. You post.
Sometimes you get paid. Sometimes you don’t.
And somewhere along the line, someone asked:
“So is music your business… or your hobby?”
Cue internal panic and an awkward shrug.
But it’s a valid question — and one that matters more than ever in Australia’s music economy.
“Music is not a hobby. It’s a lifestyle.” — Prince
No one’s here to kill the dream.
Music as a hobby is powerful, healing, creative, and community-building.
But… when you start putting your show into the market — asking for payment, promoting gigs, getting booked on stages where full-time working artists rely on those gigs to pay their bills — that’s where clarity becomes crucial.
Because here’s the truth:
There’s a difference between being paid to play and running a music business.
The Research Says... A 2022 study in Frontiers in Psychology explored the rise of hobbyist musicians in Australia — and found that while they represent the largest creative cohort, most hobby musicians earn little or no income and don’t intend to professionalise.
That’s fine — unless hobby artists are charging the same rates, accepting the same gigs, and bypassing the obligations of running a business, like tax, insurance, promo commitments, and contracts.
In that case?
It creates market confusion and undercuts the value of professional musicians who are operating legit businesses.
ATO Says: Know What You Are
According to the Australian Tax Office, a hobby is not a business — even if you make some income from it.
If you're:
Performing for fun
Not intending to make a consistent profit
Not running promo or managing bookings in a business-like way
Not reporting income or tracking expenses
Then you're most likely a hobbyist.
That means:
✅ You’re not required to register an ABN
❌ But you also can’t claim deductions
❌ And you may be ineligible for certain gigs, especially in commercial venues
So, Why Does This Matter?
Because venues and promoters need to know what they’re booking. And they expect you to market every show. Kinda hard to do that under the ATO Hobby guidelines…….
If you’re charging market rates and accepting commercial bookings, but don’t carry insurance, won’t market the gig, or can’t invoice under an ABN —
that puts everyone at risk: you, the promoter, the venue, the booker, and the artist who missed out on the gig while doing it all above board.
Let’s be real:
✅ If it’s your hobby — amazing. Own that. Be clear about it.
✅ If it’s your business — run it like one.
Self-Audit Time: can you honestly say…
I have an ABN and track income
I can show a business plan, a budget, a promo strategy
I pay tax and super, and keep records
I actively market my shows
I’m insured and contract-ready
If not, ask yourself:
Am I ready to professionalise?
Or am I happier keeping music as a passion project — no pressure, no admin?
Both are valid.
But they’re not interchangeable.
And pretending they are causes friction, confusion, and lost opportunities — especially for those trying to build sustainable music careers.
We’re not here to gatekeep — we’re here to create clarity to respect the ecosystem. Because when hobbyists and professionals understand where they fit, the whole scene thrives.
So if you’re a hobby artist — awesome. Say it with pride. Share your art.
And if you're building a business? Step into it fully.
Be accountable.
Be professional.
Be clear.
And before you say it, clarity around Hobby status isn’t about dividing the music community. It’s about integrity. Transparency. And making sure that everyone — hobbyist or hustler — is showing up with intention.
Because music isn’t just sound.
It’s structure.
It’s sweat.
And it deserves the respect of being taken seriously — whatever your level.
With love, truth, and clean tax records,
Written by Nichola Burton. I work in partnership with Agents, Artist Managers and Event Producers, who juggle a diverse range of relationships in the Musoverse, to curate, manage and measure data in systems, experience, creative and content to support the entire Musoverse operation in my enterprise A Little Pitchy Copyright 2025
