2020 has been something of a nightmare year for a lot of people, and it has affected everyone in different ways. A lot of people went months without working, or lost their job completely. And that has pushed all of us to look for other ways to make a little extra money.
Some people got into product testing. Others spend time filling out online surveys or reviewing/rating things they already own. But one of the easiest (and probably most enjoyable) ways to earn money is by listening to music online.
Yes, you read that right. There are sites out there that are willing to pay you to listen to music.
Different sites want different things, whether that’s listening to certain radio channels/playlists or providing a review/ratings for songs you listen to. But to help you get an idea of how this works and how you can start, here are the top 10 sites that will pay you to listen to music online.
Cash4Minutes
Cash4Minutes is a service that many people use around the world. The company pays users for two different services: making phone calls and listening to music. In other words, you can turn your unused phone minutes into extra revenue by dialing into online radio broadcasts.
Most users earn between $0.05 and $0.10 per minute, and you can also refer friends to boost the amount of money you can earn through Cash4Minutes. And, like the other platforms listed here, you can cash out your earnings through PayPal, Bitcoin, and Amazon gift cards.
Current
Current Rewards is an app instead of a website. By subscribing, you will get access to thousands of radio stations. And the more you listen, the more points you earn.
However, there is not a direct cash payout. Current has an in-app store, and you can spend points on the rewards you want. (These rewards do include gift cards, however, so you won’t have to purchase items you don’t want.)
Earnably
Earnably is a mix of a traditional survey site and a product testing site. By signing up, you will receive points for a variety of activities: taking surveys, watching videos, reacting to ads, etc. There are also tasks for listening to music, but they are mixed in with a wider variety of things you can do to make some easy money.
After you’ve done a few different tasks, you can exchange your accumulated points for gift cards to places like Amazon, Xbox, and Best Buy, or you can pay out directly with PayPal.
HitPredictor
HitPredictor functions a bit like product testing. The songs on this site are unreleased, which means listener feedback can help predict the next big hit before it ever plays on a radio.
Users rate the songs they listen to, which can give the music artists and record label an idea of whether a song is ready to release or should receive a little more work. You’ll get points for your work, and you can use these points for prize giveaways or exchange the points for gift cards.
PlaylistPush
The big feature of PlaylistPush is that you get paid to be a music curator instead of a reviewer. You will still rate and review songs, of course, but the most attractive part about this service is that it focuses on your Spotify playlists.
Indie artists will send their songs directly to you. And if you review those songs, you will actually get paid between to help these artists improve their tracks before releasing them.
PlaylistPush will pair you with indie artists that match your existing Spotify playlists, so you can review songs you will (most likely) enjoy. And the payout is between $1 and $6 per track reviewed.
Nielsen Market Research
Nielsen Market Research is something of a leader in this type of “paid for feedback” industry. They focus on consumer research, which means you can get paid to provide feedback and listen to music that you currently on.
Nielsen Market Research has an app that you need to install, and it will track your activity and generate income based on the feedback you provide.
RadioEarn
RadioEarn is a simple, no-nonsense platform: Just sign up and start listening to music.
An added benefit is that you can generate a RadioEarn affiliate link. If you have a popular blog, YouTube channel, or Instagram account, you can refer people to use your link and that can significantly boost your earnings.
You’ll earn points for the time you spend listening to music, and you can cash out with a bank transfer, an Amazon gift card, or Bitcoin.
However, it is hard to earn a lot of points using RadioEarn. This seems more targeted to website owners and influencers who can benefit from the affiliate link program.
RWS Moravia
Unlike the other options on this list, RWS is much more of a legitimate freelance job. This is a translation company, and they are willing to pay people to listen to songs and translate the lyrics. However, positions are restricted to whatever languages RWS is currently focused on.
Because this is a contract job, there are traditional “job requirements” that RWS looks for. But it is perhaps the most consistent method of getting paid to listen to music online.
SliceThePie
In addition to being the largest paid review site on the internet, SliceThePie is also willing to pay you to listen to music. It’s another example of a site that uses listener reviews to provide feedback to the musicians, records, etc.
SliceThePie uses a review system, and your pay depends on how informative and valuable your review is. You can make anywhere between $0.02 and $0.20 per song review.
However, the process is a little subjective, so there aren’t any clear standards on what is expected of a $0.20 review compared to a $0.02. So if you decide to use SliceThePie, you will increase your payments if you take it seriously and try to provide helpful feedback on the songs.
How To Get Paid To Listen To Music Online
These sites are by far the most popular ways that people have been able to generate extra income by listening to music online. You can find even more options out there, as well as other platforms that will pay you to fill out surveys, test products, and other similar tasks.
2020 might be a difficult year for everyone, but using sites like the ones on this list will help you make a little extra money simply by doing something you already enjoy: listening to music.