Busking for the Big Bucks

Ever wonder what keeps the street musicians that play for change going back to the subway and sidewalk everyday? Well, it's not the music. In fact, when we asked the Naked Cowboy "Who do you 'owe it all to' and is it all about the music?" He replied, "I owe it all to myself, and it's all about me!" Whether or not it's to hone their craft, some of these folks are pulling in some serious cash.

Obviously The Naked Cowboy is an example of how much one person can make by entertaining the passerby and tourists -- he pulls in just under $400K a year ($1000 in ten hours)! Some other "better known" street musicians makes from $75/hour to $200/day -- though it's unclear how many hours are in their day. Of course, if you're one of the most famous classical musicians in the world, you may only make $32.17 in an hour. Follow a week in the life of two street buskers, Heth and Jed, who kept a diary for us last year, here.

Photo via Arve Johnsen's Flickr.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment, News on September 27, 2007 3:23 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

$400K a year , and how many years has he been doing this..?

I think ( if he really pulls in this kinda doe ) that he could have retired already...

bklynd

I dunno, if you could rake in $400K just by standing around in your underwear and playing guitar, wouldn't you keep milking it until it ran dry?

guest

yes, because that's how he makes so much money.

guest

"he pulls in just under $400K a year ($1000 in ten hours)!"

No &%$#@! way does he make that much money...If he did, would he still be standing in the middle of times square in his under ware ?

guest

He is as weird as all Nyorkers are

guest

Where do these people go to the bathroom?

robingee

Do out-of-towners really find The Naked Cowboy THAT interesting?? You wouldn't believe how weird New York is, it's just like they say! He's in his underwear in the middle of the street! It's craaaaazzzy!

SC

Schmod, thanks for the link. Really enjoyed that story.

guest

i hope all homeless people get naked now and start walking the streets of times square and totally bogart the cowboys business. Naked homeless guy would be awesome.

Dirk

Wow, I am utterly speechless that the Naked Cowboy makes that much money.

schmod

Earlier in the year, the Washington Post put a guy who is widely regarded as being one of the greatest violinists alive in a Metro station. Their results weren't nearly as spectacular:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

bradedward

#5 don't all homeless people know how to play at least one instrument? I thought they were all musicians.

Rose Fox

I would love to see a coalition of musicians who give music and performance lessons to the homeless. It makes more money than panhandling and is a lot nicer for passersby, too.