A narrow definition of music export refers to earning music related revenue from another country than one's own, that is, where one lives, has registered the entity earning the revenue, pays taxes, etc. In a broader sense music export is sometimes taken to refer to internationalisation in general, including other aspects than economic earnings. See also: revenue, internationalisation

Music export capacity refers to the knowledge, skills, experience and access to professional networks and financial capital of the music sector actors – artists, creators, professionals, music companies, etc. In other words, when artists and their teams or other music companies aim to develop music export towards certain markets, there is some basic and specific knowledge they need to have to understand the target market as well as developing sufficient professional contacts there. In addition to understanding and network, the music exporters need to be able to act, including team professional experience and skills and sufficient financial capital to invest into music export activities. All this together – the knowledge, professional networks, access to financial capital and the professional capability of the team – can be referred to as the music export capacity of that team.