Ten ways the music gets paid.

Royalties for the master recording from Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube Music, Tidal and Audiomack, paid out through the distributor.

• Release a song every 4–6 weeks so listeners and algorithms keep coming back
• Pitch every release to Spotify editorial 4+ weeks ahead
• Use a flat-fee distributor so Charles keeps 100% of royalties

Royalties for the songwriting itself, separate from the recording: performance royalties (collected by a PRO such as BMI or ASCAP) and mechanical royalties (collected by The MLC), worldwide, through a publishing administrator.

• Sign up as both writer and publisher so Charles gets both shares
• Register every song, including back-catalog songs not yet claimed
• Publishing admin collects foreign royalties for a 15–20% fee

Fees for placing songs in TV, film, ads, trailers and games. Each placement pays an upfront fee, and the song keeps earning performance royalties whenever it airs.

• Make instrumentals and clean versions of every song
• Tag songs by mood and tempo for music supervisors (the people who choose music for shows)
• Work with 2–3 non-exclusive sync agents and music libraries

Headline shows, festival slots, college shows, private events and opening for bigger artists. This is the biggest stream by Year 3.

• Year 1: 12 regional shows at $500–$1,200 each
• Year 2: open for a touring artist, 25 dates
• Year 3: headline tour of 40 dates, plus VIP meet-and-greet packages

A "Platinum Standard" clothing line, limited vinyl pressings, signed CDs and bundles, sold online and at shows.

• Drop limited runs alongside each major release
• Bundle merch with presales (which also boosts first-week chart numbers)
• Print-on-demand for basics, so no unsold stock

Paid sponsored content, ambassador deals and custom songs for brands that fit the premium image: fashion, spirits, audio gear and cars.

• Put together a one-page media kit with audience demographics
• Start with micro-deals ($500–$2.5K), then move to long-term ambassador deals
• Keep ownership of any music made for a brand

License the 120-beat library to other artists. A lease is non-exclusive (others can buy it too); an exclusive sale goes to one buyer. Sample packs and stems are sold online.

• Leases at $35–$150; exclusives at $500–$3,000
• Keep the publishing share on every beat sold
• Upload "type beats" to YouTube to get found

Ad income from music videos, studio vlogs and breakdowns of how songs were made, plus Content ID, which collects money whenever other creators use his music.

• Turn on Content ID for every song through the distributor
• Two long-form videos a month and daily Shorts
• Repost the same videos to Facebook and Snapchat for their creator payouts

A paid inner circle: early access to music, unreleased demos, livestreams, and first dibs on presale tickets. See the tiers below.

• Run on Patreon, or on his own site to keep more of the money
• Goal: 400 paying members by the end of Year 3
• Monthly income fans renew, which keeps cash flow steady

Write and produce for other artists in exchange for a fee plus a share of the songwriting and a producer royalty (called "points") on the master. This builds the catalog without Charles having to release the songs himself.

• Attend 2 songwriting camps a year
• Fees from $1K to $5K per song, plus ownership shares
• Every song with a share adds to catalog value