Rates, 2026
What should a musician or singer charge in 2026, working remote?
About $725 a day for a musician or singer who is working and booked in remote work for US clients. $475 in the first years, $975 when senior. A show runs about $1,025. Also called: singer, band, session player, live performer.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · a smaller market
First years
$475
a day · $60 an hour
Working, booked
$725
a day · $90 an hour
Senior, sought after
$975
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$725 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$90 per hour
- A show$1,025 per project
Sold a project fee, by the day. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for remote work for US clients: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Live show, solo$275 to $900 per show
- Live show, band$900 to $3,600 per show
- Private event or wedding$725 to $2,700 per event
- Remote session part$125 to $450 per song
- Sync license, one project$450 to $4,500 per song
- Feature on a record$450 to $2,700 each
How the number is made
Musician or singers at this level in this market day at about $725 ($400 to $1,200 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A show runs $300 to $2,000 and takes about 6 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $550. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a musician or singer in remote work for US clients?
- About $725 a day for someone working and booked, $475 in the first years, $975 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a show?
- $1,025 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
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