Music Blogs: Definition, Types, Income & 25 Examples [2022]

Music has always been an aspect of the human experience, so it makes sense that music blogs are plentiful on the internet.

But what exactly is a music blog, and do the bloggers make any money?

Learn how to start a music blog and check out some examples that may inspire you to create your own blog dedicated to your favorite music.

What Is a Music Blog?

A music blog is a simple concept!

The creator of the blog will discuss, review, and post music.

Music blogs are often strongly opinionated, giving subjective takes on artists, albums, songs, and genres.

Music blogs can take different approaches, they all revolve around the discussion of music, whether current or old.

Bloggers with interesting thoughts and engaging blogs can be quite successful.

What Does a Music Blogger Blog About?

Music bloggers commonly keep their readers updated on current trends and new music while incorporating their opinion about said music.

They make breakdown parts of a song, explore the meaning of lyrics, or talk about the trajectory of a specific artist.

A music blogger can take whatever approach they choose, whether it’s highly critical or more casual.

Some music bloggers deep dive into the components and instruments in a song, while others may keep their opinions more surface-level and accessible to the general public. It’s up to the blogger!

Motivations for starting a blog typically stem from a desire to discuss music and share opinions. It’s safe to say, anyone who runs a music blog is passionate about music.

What Is Included on a Music Blog?

Bloggers can include anything they want on their music blog, so there are no real requirements.

But below are features of successful music blogs to consider.

New Music

One of the most important things people look for on music blogs is what music is coming out soon!

Many folks who enjoy music blogs like to be informed about upcoming releases and what new music they can look forward to.

Music Reviews

Reviews are also essential for a successful music blog.

Many readers will visit a music blog to see how others feel about music.

Maybe they want to read the opinion of someone with more music knowledge so they can better understand the songs.

Many music lovers listen casually, but music blogs allow them to gain deeper insight into the songs and albums they love.

Music News

If you want to focus slightly more on the celebrity side of music, you can have a section discussing an artist leaving their record label, going solo, or getting married.

For example, the drama that went down between Taylor Swift and Kanye West could interest your readers, as it pertains to the music as well as the celeb gossip.

Links to Music

When people visit a music blog, they typically expect to find links to new music relevant to the blog.

If a page discusses a new album, it’s helpful to the reader if they can click on an Apple Music or Spotify link and go straight to the song.

Unfortunately, you cannot post songs on your blog without permission from the owner, but links to Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music, and similar platforms are acceptable.

Music Interviews

Some of the best music blogs will have interviews with artists themselves!

If you’re not a major blog, you probably can’t get interviews with the likes of Lana Del Rey or Drake, but you can still interview local artists to create fun content.

Concert and Tour Information

A super easy item to feature on a music blog is concert and tour dates and locations.

A music blog can be a convenient resource for readers to find out when and where their favorite artists are playing live so they can go experience their music in person.

Other Things That You Can Find on a Music Blog

Some other ideas for what you can have on your music blog are below.

These items are optional but can add some engaging and unique content to your blog.

Concert Diary

If you go to concerts often, you can have a concert or tour diary section where you discuss how different artists are at live shows.

Some artists can disappoint, while others put on unforgettable shows.

You can also discuss the quality of the venue and the temperament of the crowd.

Merch Links

When you review a song, album, or artist, you can take the opportunity to link their merch if they have any.

You don’t have to promote an artist’s merchandise if you don’t want to, but fans may appreciate it.

Lyrics Explained

Lyrics can be as beautiful as poetry, and also just as confusing.

Some people love music but struggle to interpret the lyrics, so you can explain songs that may be dense.

You can give a brief overview, or interpret songs line-by-line.

Scores

Not everyone pays much attention to scores in movies, but music bloggers can highlight films with fantastic music or note when popular songs find their way into new movies.

A section like this can set a music blogger apart from competitors.

Artist Background

Like interviews with artists, many music lovers enjoy learning more about an artist’s background.

You can have bios of popular artists, discussing their childhood, rise to success, and what they use for inspiration.

Types of Music Blogs

A generic music blog that covers all genres can be overwhelming to create and read.

Therefore, many music bloggers choose a genre to focus on, which also helps them target a specific audience.

Music Blogs for EDM: EDM is electronic dance music, often associated with raves and festivals.

These blogs will discuss EDM artists, festivals, and more.

The audience for EDM blogs is typically a younger crowd, as EDM hasn’t been around longer than a few decades.

Music Blogs for Hip Hop: Hip hop is one of the most popular varieties of music blogs, as the fanbase for hip hop is massive, and it’s easy to create lots of content concerning rap lyrics, beats, and the rich history of this genre.

Music Blogs for Rock: Rock music blogs appeal to a wider audience since the genre has been around for a long time and has many fans.

While today’s rock music may not break the top 40, there are still tons of incredible rock songs and albums being made.

Music Blogs for Metal: Metal fans are often devoted to the genre, and love finding communities dedicated to this intense type of music.

Readers of metal blogs have a specific interest in concerts and tours.

Music Blogs for Jazz: People who are into jazz are super passionate, especially as the genre has improvisation traits that can be exciting to witness and discuss.

Jazz blogs often attract jazz musicians, but can also appeal to jazz listeners.

Do Music Blogs Make Money

While some music bloggers create content simply because they love it, bloggers can make good money via affiliate marketing, product links, webshops, and sponsored posts.

If you implement some of these strategies for monetization, you can turn your love of music into a way to make extra money!

How Do Music Blogs Make Money?

There are many avenues a music blog can take when monetizing its content.

A few techniques are above, and affiliate marketing is likely the best option for people starting.

Below is a list of ways you can monetize your music blog!

• Affiliate marketing: incorporating and promoting companies into your content
• Sponsored posts: posts intended to lead readers to a product or service
• Advertising: you can use banners, pop-ups, and similar ad placements
• Sales: you can sell music, music-related services, or merchandise
• Charge artists: new artists can pay you a fee to feature their music on your blog
• Live Streaming: you can offer live streams of music and sell tickets

You can always find new and innovative ways to make money off a music blog, but these are some proven ways music bloggers can monetize their content.

How Much Do Music Blogs Make?

The amount of money a particular music blog makes depends on the success of the blog and its monetization efforts.

A music blogger can make between $100 and $10,000 per month.

The most successful blogs can make $10,000 every week, but those blogs are the cream of the crop.

If you’re just starting a music blog, don’t quit your day job just yet, as it can take lots of time and effort to monetize your blog.

Products to Promote and Sell on a Music Blog

Many different types of blogs that make money do so by promoting and selling products on their website.

The products you promote should be relevant to your content, so a music blog discussing the newest metal music shouldn’t promote Victoria’s Secret products.

Try to choose products that appeal to your target audience and relate to your content.

Below are some products and services music bloggers can promote:

• Music Lessons
• Artist Merchandise
• Streaming subscriptions
• Instruments
• Extra content
• Gifts for music lovers

Best Music Blogs: 25 Examples

When figuring out how to start a blog, it can help to look at some prime examples.

Check out 25 of the best music blogs you can use for inspiration and guidance.

How Many Music Blogs Are There?

There are over 600 million blogs, and a decent amount of them are music blogs.

It’s difficult to say an exact number, but one can safely assume that there are thousands if not millions of music blogs.

Unfortunately, this means there is a lot of competition in the music blog world.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t find the perfect niche and curate a super successful music blog!

Peruse the examples below, and you’ll see how many niches there are for music blogs.

Music Blogs for EDM

Electronic dance music came about in the 1980s, so it is still a newer genre of music.

But it has a massive following thanks to its energetic and inspiring sound. Some of the best EDM blogs are below.

Mixmag

Mixmag is a British EDM blog focusing on the clubbing scene and new British EDM artists.

It features music news and highlights daily to keep its reader informed.

The blog often features interesting interviews and articles discussing the culture and prominence of EDM as the genre continues to grow.

Earmilk

First, Earmilk is a pretty cool name for a blog and appeals to many fans of the EDM genre, exemplifying how important a creative blog name can be!

Earmilk highlights underground music but still reviews mainstream EDM using a specific quality rubric.

Dancing Astronaut

Another fun and funky name, the Dancing Astronaut blog discusses the American EDM scene, specifically posting about new music, upcoming releases, and popular artists.

This EDM is more mainstream, appealing to the most casual EDM listeners.

EDM Sauce

For raw EDM coverage, EDM Sauce is one of the best sources.

It’s super active, constantly creating new content to keep EDM fans interested and up-to-date on the newest artists and releases.

They also offer recommendations for equipment or music.

DJ Mag

Another British EDM blog, DJ Mag is geared toward EDM artists, offering tips for creating music and finding success in the industry.

It’s one of the more informative blogs, directed toward DJs and other artists rather than just EDM fans.

Music Blogs for Hip Hop

Hip-hop seems to grow and grow in popularity as the years go by, and hip-hop music blogs are some of the most successful sites.

People love to read content relating to complex lyrics and innovative music.

AllHipHop

AllHipHop is one of the most prominent music blogs in the hip-hop community, as it’s been creating content for almost 20 years.

It focuses on the top artists in the industry and posts in-depth reviews of new songs and albums.

Ben’s Big Blog

Ben’s Big Blog is one of the more analytical music blogs, offering statistics on hip-hop as well as other music genres.

This music blog dives deep into the meaning of lyrics, the success of certain songs, and expounds on the evolution of artists.

The Boom Box

One of the most editorial hip-hop blogs is The Boom Box, which posts compelling pieces about albums and artists.

For deep reviews and critical analysis, hip-hop fans turn to this strongly opinionated hip-hop blog.

Fake Shore Drive

Fake Shore Drive thrives in the Chicago hip-hop niche, focusing on local artists and the success of acts from the area.

The blog stays relevant and updated, keeping readers informed via several daily posts.

Genius

Rap lyrics can feature references and dense lyrics, making them hard to interpret for some.

Genius is the number one source for line-by-line explanations of popular rap songs, helping fans gain insight into the meaning behind dense lyrics.

Music Blogs for Rock

Rock music is a staple in the American music scene, and you can follow many quality music blogs that focus on the rock genre.

Louder Sound

Louder Sound is one of the most comprehensive rock music blogs, featuring reviews, artist backgrounds, interviews, radio, videos, and more.

They also cover the subgenres within rock attentively, appealing to all sorts of rock fans.

In many rock-lovers eyes, this is the ultimate music blog for rock.

Rock Sound

This online magazine offers readers music videos, news, reviews, and pictures, creating a visual medium for rock fans to appreciate.

Rock Sound tends to shine a light on newer artists but still covers popular names in the genre, appealing to mainstream rock lovers and underground fans.

Loudwire

Loudwire is another comprehensive rock blog with interviews, reviews, news, tour dates, and other relevant information.

They tend to keep their content extremely current, focusing on up-and-coming artists and the top rock albums recently released.

Planet Rock

This music blog is UK-based and functions as a radio station and a source of reviews, interviews, and news.

Planet Rock is one of the best places fans can listen to music and find information on the newest bands.

They report on new releases but evenly give attention to old rock music.

Blabbermouth

Blabbermouth is a CNN-owned blog that discusses hard rock and heavy metal news.

They post tour and concert dates, album and song reviews, and relevant news for devoted rock fans to read.

Not only do they discuss the latest news in the rock genre, but they will highlight some of the most legendary artists and albums in rock.

Music Blogs for Metal

Metal music isn’t one of the most mainstream genres, but devoted fans can find engaging communities on the top metal blogs.

The five blogs listed below are some of the most successful metal blogs on the web.

MetalSucks

Despite the name, the creators and readers of MetalSucks are metalheads who love this intense and passionate style of music.

MetalSucks has everything metal fans could want, from in-depth reviews to rumors of new music to commentaries on the metal culture.

Metal Injection

Metal Injection is a music blog filled with content.

A fan of metal music could spend hours, if not days, exploring everything this dense blog offers.

You can watch videos, read news, listen to metal podcasts, artists’ bios, merchandise, and even contests where you can win tickets to metal concerts!

Invisible Oranges

Invisible Oranges is a well-organized heavy metal blog with show listings, streams, merchandise shops, and photos.

This blog has a unique voice, stating strong opinions about music without alienating its audience.

It has a fun and conversational tone but still provides informative content.

Angry Metal Guy

Angry Metal Guy is one of the top blogs if you want opinions on new music.

The blog focuses on dissecting new songs and albums to give raw reviews that don’t hold any punches.

It uses a rating system that ranges from unlistenable to iconic, giving every piece of music a hard number.

NO CLEAN SINGING

This metal blog has a darker vibe and appeals to a niche audience in the metal genre.

People into super intense metal music with grim or unsettling themes are the target audience.

The site features interviews, album reviews, and calendars with tour dates.

Music Blogs for Jazz

Jazz music blogs are a wealth of knowledge on the genre, and many are geared toward Jazz musicians rather than fans.

But below are five of the top blogs, many of which appeal to both fans and musicians.

inconstant sol

The blog, inconstant sol, is a unique music blog, as it operates as a collective with tons of posters that curate a complex and active jazz community.

It focuses on the experimental side of jazz, exploring new sounds and techniques that show the innovative evolution of the genre.

The Free Jazz Collective

This blog reviews avant-garde and free jazz media and music that everyone can access.

It’s run by volunteers passionate about jazz and has very few ads, as they want to curate a pure jazz platform that solely focuses on the music.

You can watch videos, read reviews, and find tour dates easily.

London Jazz News

As the name suggests, this blog discusses London-based jazz music, from the most popular musicians to new faces on the scene.

One of its most unique features are the live reviews, where creators review the new music as they first listen to it, offering raw opinions and first impressions.

Bird is the Worm

Bird is the Worm blog is an excellent resource for people interested in new jazz.

Jazz music often features improvisations, which have evolved the genre into a modern style many people love.

This blog focuses only on the newest jazz, keeping readers up-to-date on brand-new releases.

New York Jazz Workshop

The New York Jazz Workshop is different because it’s a learning resource for jazz musicians but also has reviews and fascinating pieces on the evolution of jazz.

It offers music courses, exemplifying one of the ways music blogs can monetize their content.

How to Become a Music Blogger

Do you feel like music blogging is your calling?

Maybe it’s finally time to start your very own music blog, and below is a guide to help you get going.

Determine the Direction of the Blog

Consider the many blog ideas for music lovers discussed above and use them to inspire your music blog!

Do you want to interpret lyrics and explain their meaning?

Do you want to give critical reviews of new music?

Is your blog going to focus on fans or musicians?

It’s totally up to you, but it’s best to have a firm direction.

You can do keyword research to uncover opportunities and see what niches are hungry for content.

Select a Niche

If you create a music blog that covers every genre and era in every way, you will likely not be able to compete with the established music blogs and be expected to churn out an insane amount of content.

Instead, find a niche you’re passionate about and target a specific audience.

Knowing how to choose the right niche is essential, and it starts with brainstorming topics that interest you!

Select a Name

Coming up with a blog name can be a challenge, but take your time.

An interesting and clever blog name can entice people, but don’t make it too abstract.

Brainstorm some titles and see which one speaks to you.

Select a Blogging Platform

There are many different blogging platforms available.

Research the options to decide which one suits your needs.

A few examples of blogging platforms are:

• WordPress
• Squarespace
• Medium
• Blogger
• Dropplets

Register a Domain

As mentioned, you don’t want to choose a blog name too hastily, but don’t leave this task for last.

You could develop the perfect blog name to discover the domain is unavailable.

Once you pick a name, find the best domain registrar so they can register the domain for you, and you can start creating content!

Get Web Hosting

Web hosting houses, serves, and maintains files for websites, allowing you to create storage and keep your content on your blog.

While there are several web hosting options, we suggest managed WordPress hosting, as it has many helpful features.

Build the Blog

The next step is to build your blog.

This task can be time-consuming, but take your time and craft a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate blog that readers will enjoy.

Themes

First things first, install a WordPress theme.

The theme you choose will give your blog a certain aesthetic, so consider what direction you want to go in and what you think your target audience would like.

Plugins

WordPress plugins are a useful addition to your website, giving you and your readers more features.

Install the plugins you think will enhance your blog and optimize your content.

Some of the best WordPress plugins include:

• Yoast SEO
• Gravity Forms
• Jetpack
• WP Smush

Essential Pages

There are a few essential pages for your blog you should set up right away.

Not every blog is the same, so you’ll have pages that other sites don’t and vice versa.

But some pages are necessary and expected by readers.

Essential pages for almost any blog include :

• About page
• Contact page
• Subscribe page
• Archives page
• Disclaimer page

Produce Content for the Blog

Creating content for your blog is next, and likely the most intensive task.

Brainstorm as many ideas for content as you can and craft high-quality posts that appeal to your target audience.

What you first put on your blog should be some of your best work, showing people that your blog will provide top-notch music content.

Try to develop content that captures your niche and offers something different from the many other music blogs available.

Launch the Blog Publicly

Once you set up the blog and add engaging and unique content, it’s time to launch the blog.

Launching a new blog can be nerve-racking, as you never know how people will respond and you may be initially disappointed if people don’t appreciate your content.

But you can never find success if you don’t take the leap.

Promote the Blog

Lastly, promote your blog to drive traffic.

You can do this via social media platforms, music forums, influencers, and built-in links.

There are endless ways to promote a blog, so develop a clear strategy with defined goals to help you gain a following.

Similar Blogging Types to Check Out

If you think the music blog scene isn’t right for you, check out some similar blog styles that may appeal to you.

Hip Hop Blogs

Hip-hop blogs are super popular right now, helping people deeply appreciate this creative and immense genre.

Hip-hop blogs can go beyond the music, focusing on dance, culture, and the history behind the genre.

Poetry Blogs

If the lyrical side of a music blog appeals to you, look into poetry blogs!

Poetry blogs are less prominent, so you’ll have less competition.

But you can help people gain insight into their favorite poems and poets, creating meaningful content.

Podcast Blogs

While most people still listen to music in their headphones, podcasts are steadily becoming a massive market.

Podcast blogs are a great opportunity for someone who wants to rate and review various podcasts to help people find the most enthralling shows!

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are frequently asked questions about music blogs and creating music blogs.

Wrapping Up

If you have a deep passion for music, starting a music blog allows you to create content about the music you care about.

While there are many blogs, you can be a successful music blogger if you find the right niche and know what your audience wants.

So don’t wait any longer to create your music blog!