How much does a DJ/producer make?

I think most people earn less from doing music full time than they would doing a straight job.

But this difference in pay is offset by:

1. Doing something they love / doing something slightly bohemian.
2. The chance that they could make it big.
3. Some of them being slightly dysfunctional people who might not be able to hold down a straight job anyway.

Of course the more like a straight job that you make it, the more you will earn. Wedding DJs will generally earn a lot more than experimental techno DJs for example.

Couple of tunes a week, maybe?

worth bearing in mind as well that things like this can completely depend on situational factors that are beyond artist's control.

For example, for an EDM act who lives in australia, you will always earn less because your main touring market is the US... a long way away.

Same for house/techno DJs based in the US.

We know people at the top end make a lot

The Forbes list of the world's highest paid DJs 2013:

1. Calvin Harris – £30m
2. Tiësto – £20m
3. David Guetta – £19m
4. Swedish House Mafia – £16m
5. Deadmau5 – £13.5m
6. Avicii – £12m
7. Afrojack – £11.5m
8. Armin van Buuren – £11m
9. Kaskade – £10m
=9 Skrillex – £10m
11. Steve Aoki – £9m
12. Diplo – £8m
=12. DJ Pauly D – £8m

And I imagine it's always been a case of people with moderate success struggle by, but I imagine it's harder than ever these days. I do wonder how those who are relatively successful in a smaller market fair. Like some of the people who've made a successful career out of music on here?

Trillhouse said:

Like some of the people who've made a successful career out of music on here?

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not anywhere near "successful" yet, but djing does pay about half to most of my living expenses. there was a festival gig 2 years ago that paid 800 euros for an hour set, and that's the highest i've ever been paid. most gigs are 200 or 300. so a meager survival is very possible based on only 1 gig per week at my current level. in Berlin at least. (and this is based on mostly playing weirdo African, Latin, and Middle Eastern music - recently i've branched out/gotten back to my roots, to more techno and drum'n'bass, etc. should be more lucrative i imagine - but decision was not based on financial concerns i assure u) i just have to do a big crunch and get to the next level (of weedtardedness), and then it will get better.

i'd rather be a broke ass dj and spend my time on shit i care about with good people from all over the earth than a corporate fucking slave that's all i have to say. Had to take a full time job for a little while recently at a Rupert Murdoch company (visa reasons) and it made me want to suicide bomb.