Music affiliate programs offer a ton of money-making potential.
Just think about all the different revenue streams that exist in the music industry — you’ve got instruments, parts, and accessories, studio equipment, recording software, audio files, online courses… the list goes on.
Now, just think about how much each of those niches is worth.
The musical instruments segment alone is expected to reach nearly $34 billion in 2021. That’s equivalent to every person on the planet spending about $4.50 on musical instruments!
A vast range of products across multiple segments, often at premium price points? It’s no wonder the music business is so appealing to affiliates.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best music affiliate programs.
😎 Why You Should Trust Us
At Authority Hacker, we have more than 10 years of experience doing affiliate marketing across a wide range of consumer niches.
Along the way, we’ve helped thousands of people get started with affiliate marketing, and shared countless case studies and best practices to help affiliates make more money.
We’ve selected the best affiliate programs in music by analyzing multiple music brands and the offers they promote.
We’ll continue to monitor changes in the music industry and update this page if we find new affiliate programs worth mentioning.
Don’t forget to check our guide on how to start a music blog.
Music Affiliate Programs
- Amazon Associates
- Guitar Center
- Musician’s Friend
- Sweetwater
- Gear4Music
- Masterclass
- Playground Sessions
- Singorama
- Singing Machine
- Thomann
- Pianoforall
- Fiddlershop
- Thalia Capos
- AudiMute
- Guitar Tricks
- Flowkey
- JamPlay
- Fender Play
- Sam Ash
- Orangewood
- Piano in 21 Days
Amazon Associates
As you already know, Amazon basically sells everything across every industry imaginable.
Within the music niche, its catalog ranges from $5 sheet music to $1,500 grand pianos.
Amazon Associates is always a safe bet for affiliates. You know The Almighty Bezos will ensure products are shipped on time and turn up in good condition, their returns policy is second to none, and they offer top notch customer service.
But it’s not all good news.
A commission rate of 3% per sale on musical instruments is the joint lowest of any of the affiliate programs we’ve looked at here, while the 24-hour cookie duration is tight to say the least.
- URL: Amazon Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 3% per sale for musical instruments category
- Cookie duration: 24 hours
P.S. Check out our Amazon Affiliate Program Review and step by step guide on How to Become an Amazon Affiliate.
Guitar Center
Guitar Center is America’s largest music retail chain, with 294 stores stretching from coast to coast.
It claims to offer the world’s largest selection of music gear, with a catalog of more than 40,000 products — from high quality headphones to orchestral instruments. If you can pluck it, blow it, or bang it, Guitar Center sells it.
New products are added to its directory every week, some of which are exclusively available through its online store.
The Guitar Center affiliate program — run by the Commission Junction — lets affiliates access special offers and promotions, and take advantage of Guitar Center’s high average order value.
With commissions of 6% per sale and a 7-day EPC of $16.90, there’s plenty of money to be made here.
- URL: Guitar Center Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 6% per sale
- Cookie duration: 14 days
Musician’s Friend
With more than 85,000 unique music products on offer, Musician’s Friend might even put Amazon’s inventory to shame.
Its catalog includes thousands of new and used guitars, plus keyboards, drums, and much more.
The retailer also runs a popular rewards program that gives members 8% back in rewards, free ground shipping on everything within the contiguous US, and a VIP phone line.
And with all guitars coming with a free two-year warranty, you can see why it’s called Musician’s Friend.
But is it Music Affiliate’s Friend?
Well, the terms of its music affiliate program aren’t too shabby. Sure, a commission of 4% per sale is nothing to write home about, but with a lot of those products carrying high price points, your earnings can quickly stack up.
And though the 14-day cookie window isn’t the most generous, it’s longer than some of the affiliate programs on this list.
Sign up through FlexOffers.
- URL: Musician’s Friend Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 4% per sale
- Cookie duration: 14 days
Sweetwater
Sweetwater started out back in 1979 as a remote recording studio run from the back of founder Chuck Surack’s VW Microbus.
It’s fair to say the brand has levelled up since those early days. Accredited by the Better Business Bureau, it’s now the largest online musical instrument and pro audio equipment business in the US.
While it sells all the guitars, keyboards, and drums you’d expect, the site’s studio equipment and recording category is especially impressive. You can pretty much build a whole studio from scratch with its various microphones, monitors, and mixers.
Sweetwater’s affiliate program, run on the Link Connector network, is a little different to the other programs in this list.
Rather than paying out on sales of music gear and accessories, it offers a per-click commission of up to $0.07.
That means music affiliates get paid through product links directing users to specific landing pages.
In other words, if your musical website drives substantial volumes of traffic, there’s a lot of money to be made here.
On the other hand, if you’re more about reaching a small but highly qualified audience, you won’t get the most bang for your buck from this music affiliate program.
- URL: Sweetwater affiliate program
- Commission rate: Up to $0.07 per click
- Cookie duration: N/A
Gear4Music
Gear4music stocks more than 50,000 products from 820 manufacturers.
It offers some of the most competitive prices on Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Fender, and Gibson gear, as well as its own musical instrument and equipment range, making it a veritable treasure trove for music lovers.
That all sounds good, but what’s in it for affiliates?
Commissions range from 3.5% per sale on big-name products to 5% on Gear4Music-branded instruments and equipment. Decent, but nothing to get excited about.
However, the 30-day cookie window is comparatively generous. And with an average order value in excess of $250, there’s plenty of potential to earn money here.
You can sign up through several affiliate networks, including Awin, TradeDoubler and Affiliate Future.
- URL: Gear4Music Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 3.5% – 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 30 days
MasterClass
I’m going to let you in on a secret.
While you can definitely make a lot of money through referring people to musical instrument and equipment retailers, commissions in the music education niche are much higher.
That’s where MasterClass comes in.
As its name suggests, MasterClass offers online classes across a range of hobbies and activities, including music.
Its line-up of music teachers is a little more impressive than your average local music school — think songwriting lessons from Alicia Keys, music production tips from Timbaland, and vocal coaching from Christina Aguilera.
Ever wanted to learn guitar from an international musician like Carlos Santana or violin from classical music legend Itzhak Perlman? MasterClass has got your back!
All of that content can be accessed on-demand for an annual membership of $180, which seems a pretty good deal to me.
As an affiliate, you can earn a juicy 25% per sale on all purchases. To make your life easier, you’ll get a dedicated account team through Acceleration Partners, plus a twice-monthly newsletter featuring various marketing materials.
Sign up via Impact.
- URL: MasterClass Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 25% per sale
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Playground Sessions
Ever wish Quincy Jones was your music teacher? Well, with Playground Sessions, you can (kind of) make it happen!
The 28-time Grammy winner co-created the Playground Sessions virtual piano learning app, which features tutorials from big names like David Sides and Harry Connick, Jr.
But Playground Sessions isn’t just about music tuition. It also sells virtual sheet music and keyboard bundles.
All of which means there’s plenty of monetization opportunities through this quality resource.
Commissions vary depending on purchase type, ranging from 5% per sale on product bundles and membership renewals to 15% on memberships and gift codes.
Payouts on lessons start at 15% for affiliates who drive less than $500 in monthly sales, but climb as high as 22% for those who refer more than $3,000 of sales in a month.
- URL: Playground Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 5% – 22% per sale
- Cookie duration: 90 days
Singorama
We can probably all name someone who’d benefit from singing lessons, right?
For those people, Singorama is a dream come true. It promises to hone your singing skills to a professional level, even if you don’t have any experience.
Online tuition is given by experienced vocal coach Melanie Alexander, with all classes available as instant downloads or shipped media courses.
Now, let’s get to the exciting stuff for affiliates.
First off, check out those commissions. You can earn a whopping 70% per sale on instant download courses, with a generous cookie window of 60 days.
But that’s not all — you also earn commissions on future purchases, which makes this one of the best music affiliate programs we’ve seen.
All courses are sold and tracked through Clickbank.
Note: We recently published an in-depth guide on how to make money with ClickBank. You can also read our detailed Clickbank review.
- URL: Singorama Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 40% – 70% per sale
- Cookie duration: 60 days
Singing Machine
Karaoke is great.
The only bad thing is doing it in front of a bar full of strangers. The nerves. The potential embarrassment. The endless waiting as someone sings Black Velvet for the fifth time that night.
That’s where Singing Machine comes in.
Describing itself as the world leader in consumer karaoke products, Singing Machine was the first company in the US to sell at-home karaoke systems, earning it a spot on Businessweek’s Hot Growth Companies list in 2002.
As well as selling physical karaoke products like speakers and microphones, it has its own music store packed full of singalong classics (Kenny Loggins, anyone?).
The Singing Machine affiliate program offers a flat commission of 5% per sale. All tracking and payment is handled through the Refersion affiliate network, so you can be confident your sales will be accurately recorded and your commissions paid on time.
- URL: Singing Machine Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Thomann
Thomann is Europe’s biggest music store, with a catalog of more than 80,000 products.
As well as instruments and microphones, it sells a wide range of mini recording studio software from brands like Steinberg and Sonarworks, plus more obscure gear like graphic equalizers and psychoacoustic effects.
All products carry a three-year warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee.
While the terms of Thomann’s affiliate program are a little stingy compared to some of the smaller brands on this list, they stack up well against Amazon.
Different commissions are offered to different types of affiliates. Forums and meta networks get a flat rate of 2% per sale, climbing to 3.5% for authority sites and magazines, and 4.5% for influencers.
The site’s average conversion rate is comparatively high at around 5% mark, which has helped Thomann’s affiliates drive more than six million sales.
Qualifying affiliate marketers can even access test instruments for product reviews.
Sign up through Clickfire.
- URL: Thomann Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 3.5% – 4.5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 14 days
Pianoforall
With more than 300,000 students, Pianoforall is one of the world’s biggest and most respected online piano courses.
Whether you’re into jazz, ragtime, blues, or classical, Pianoforall offers video guides, audio lessons, and interactive ebooks to hone your craft.
The course materials are easy to follow yet comprehensive and are crammed full of tricks, tips, and formulas to help would-be independent musicians sound great right from the get-go.
The site has an excellent conversion rate thanks to the caliber of its testimonials. They’re 100% verifiable — prospective members can even request the email addresses of other students to find out for themselves if those audio lessons and videos really deliver.
Similar to Singorama, Pianoforall offers a massive 60% commission per sale. And with a 90-day window, it gives you every chance to monetize your traffic.
Affiliate members get paid weekly or twice-monthly, either via check or directly to their bank accounts.
Sign up through the Clickbank affiliate network.
URL: Pianoforall Affiliate Program
Commission rate: 60% per sale
Cookie duration: 90 days
Fiddlershop
Fiddlershop is one of the more niche websites we’ve looked at, focusing solely on the world of classical stringed instruments. It also stocks a wide range of parts and musical accessories like bows, bridges, and shoulder rests.
So if you have a verve for violins or a vigor for violas, this could be the music affiliate program for you.
The terms — commissions of 5% per sale and a seven-day cookie window — aren’t the most generous, but with most instruments costing over $200, there’s still a good opportunity to earn money here.
New affiliate members can get started in as little as a week by applying through Refersion, with most applications reviewed within three business days.
- URL: Fiddlershop Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 7 days
Thalia Capos
Thalia manufactures and sells premium guitar capos and picks, plus accessories like straps, slides, and pickups. It even stocks a small selection of clothing and jewelry.
Unlike many affiliate programs, Thalia’s top commission tiers don’t seem too tough to access — the highest rate of 20% per sale is offered to any affiliates who drive more than 20 sales a month.
Beyond the comparatively generous commissions, Thalia offers a cookie window of 90 days, increasing to a staggering 120 days upon confirmed link placement.
Affiliates can also access a range of creatives and tools to help them sell, including banners and text links.
Sign up to the program through ShareASale.
- URL: Thalia Capos Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 15% – 20% per sale
- Cookie duration: 90 – 120 days
Audimute
Not everyone wants to hear you practising the riff from Stairway to Heaven for hours on end.
Fortunately, Audimute sells a solution — sound absorption and soundproofing products manufactured in the US from 100% recycled materials.
Its customer base is extremely varied, ranging from the every at-home music lover, to touring companies, theaters, and houses of worship.
That’s a lot of potential audiences for affiliates to tap into.
And while a commission rate of up to 5% per sale might not sound too enticing, an average order value of over $200 and bonuses for top performers definitely make up for it.
Affiliate marketers can also take advantage of dedicated internal program management, with fantastic support and accurate commission reporting.
- URL: Audimute Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: Up to 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 60 days
Guitar Tricks
Guitar Tricks is one for all you aspiring axe-masters. It boasts more than 11,000 online guitar lessons presented through 4K multi-camera videos and has over 2.8 million registered users.
There’s something here for people at all stages of their journey with stringed instruments. Beginners can pick up the accessible core learning system, while experienced guitarists can learn advanced techniques like sweep picking.
It also offers a 60-day money back guarantee, which is a big trust factor for potential customers.
Rather than a percentage of sales, affiliates earn $25 on trial signups and $30 on full access registrations. There’s also a bonus system based on monthly subscriptions.
To help you drive qualified traffic, Guitar Tricks offers access to dozens of professional-quality banners, and runs regular promos and discounts.
Best of all, its cookie window stretches to a frankly ridiculous five years, which is approximately 1,825 times longer than Amazon’s.
- URL: Guitar Tricks Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: $25 – $30 per sale
- Cookie duration: 5 years
Flowkey
Sticking with music related tutorials, Flowkey specializes in high-quality piano lessons for beginners, returners, and advanced pianists.
The site pledges to help anyone learn songs in minutes rather than weeks (although I doubt they’ve ever tried to teach music to a student with my lack of dexterity and concentration).
It boasts a catalog of more than 1,500 songs and a sophisticated “wait mode” that listens to you play along and pauses until you hit the right notes. Clever stuff!
What makes this music affiliate program so compelling is the potential to earn recurring monthly income. When you refer a new subscriber, you’ll keep earning commission for as long as they keep paying for Flowkey Premium.
Combine that with high commissions for each referral and you’ve got the ingredients for a truly great affiliate program.
- URL: Flowkey Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: TBD
- Cookie duration: TBD
JamPlay
JamPlay is another site offering guitar and bass lessons. Seriously, where are all the kazoo or glockenspiel coaches?
Between them, JamPlay’s 127-strong pool of music teachers has amassed 5,481 years of tuition and playing.
By my math, that’s the equivalent of almost three trillion plays of Back in Black.
Pleasingly for affiliates, JamPlay has paid just as much attention to its on-site conversion rate as it has to building an experienced line-up of music tutors.
It has a team that’s dedicated to A/B testing various aspects of the site to ensure the path to purchase is smoother than an Eric Clapton guitar solo.
So far, so good. But how much can you earn from the JamPlay music affiliate program?
Commissions are pleasingly simple. When a new customer buys a membership within 120 days of clicking your affiliate link, you’ll be paid $40 — even if they sign up for a $20 one-month membership with a half-off coupon!
- URL: JamPlay Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: $40 per sale
- Cookie duration: 120 days
Fender Play
Fender is one of the most famous names in the music industry. From Holly to Hendrix to Harrison, pretty much all the great axe-smiths have rocked a Fender at some point.
But this affiliate program isn’t about selling Fender guitars and amps — it’s about driving signups for the brand’s subscription-based tuition service, Fender Play.
The numbers are impressive. Fender Play members have spent a combined 30,000 hours working through the in-depth curriculum, taking more than 55 million lessons in the process.
Fender can afford to be choosy, so there are no guarantees you’ll be accepted to its affiliate program. For successful applicants, commission rates will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Sign up through Performance Horizon.
- URL: Fender Play Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: TBC
- Cookie duration: TBC
Sam Ash
Sam Ash is America’s biggest family-owned musical instrument retailer.
Founded back in 1924, it stocks more than 50,000 products, with a vast range of DJ equipment, studio setups, and recording software for avid music producers alongside all the instruments and accessories.
As you know, the broader the product selection, the more opportunities you have to earn cash from your affiliate blog.
Speaking of cash, Sam Ash’s commission rates vary from 3% per sale on gift cards to 5%+ on music gear, climbing to 8% for any music affiliate who drives $10,000 or more in monthly sales.
Combined with a 30-day cookie window, this affiliate program is one of the most attractive of all the big instrument and equipment vendors.
The website also offers live support chat to potential customers, which helps to drive up conversion rates.
The only cloud to darken the silver lining is that Sam Ash doesn’t accept affiliates from Arkansas, Connecticut, North Carolina, or Rhode Island for tax reasons.
- URL: Sam Ash Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 3% – 8% per sale
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Orangewood
Orangewood is an online-only guitar brand based out of Los Angeles. By selling direct to the consumer, it keeps prices affordable without compromising on quality.
But the D2C model doesn’t just benefit consumers. By cutting out retailers, Orangewood can royally reward its affiliates, meaning you can earn up to 10% per sale. With an average order value of $250, that’s a pretty compelling proposition.
To help you along, Orangewood runs a monthly newsletter featuring updates on promotions, contests, and sales opportunities.
This is one of the best affiliate programs we’ve seen in the music niche, so don’t miss out — sign up through ShareASale.
- URL: Orangewood Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 8% – 10% per sale
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Piano in 21 Days
Piano in 21 Days is definitely the most literally named music affiliate program we’ve seen.
Founder Jacques Hopkins pledges to help regular people learn to play their favorite songs through the fastest online piano course.
By focusing on learning chords and learning modern songs rather than classical standards, Jacques insists you can learn to play the piano online in just 21 days.
Evidently it works, because his courses have a waitlist — presumably because Jacques can only handle so many students at one time.
Affiliate members can earn plenty of money here, with 30% commissions on an average order value of $400. I’m no mathematician, but I’ve crunched the numbers and that works out to a tasty $120 per sale.
- URL: Piano in 21 Days Affiliate Program
- Commission rate: 30%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
🎹 Conclusion
As you can see, there are a ton of ways for affiliates to make money in the music industry.
We haven’t even touched on other niches-within-the-niche, like sites selling audio samples to music producers.
With your average music affiliate program focusing on premium products at high price points, there’s a lot of earning potential here — even though commissions on instruments and equipment often aren’t great.
That said, music affiliate programs definitely aren’t a guaranteed money-spinner.
You’ll need to put in the hard yards in, including:
- Building your affiliate website
- Carrying out keyword research to find relevant content opportunities
- Creating content on your affiliate blog to drive quality traffic
- Choosing the right affiliate networks and programs to work with
- Acquiring high-authority backlinks to boost search performance
Fortunately, we’re here to help!
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