Music is indeed a career that involves educational training or some experience. The music industry has several realms of career options available to those interested in pursuing one, but beware it’s very competitive. Being specific about the area of the music industry you want to pursue is essential. The best aspect of being in the music industry is having the ability to increase revenue by expanding upon skills and experience. Here are some interesting careers in the music industry:
Concert promoter: A concert promoter is responsible for organizing live concerts and tours and arranging employment deals with artists’ managers or agents. The average salary averages between $58,000 and $77,000 per year, with New York having the highest median in the northeastern region.
Music critic/journalist: Writing is an essential element while working in this field. Responsibilities include creating content for print and online publications. As a minimum requirement, all professionals should have a bachelor’s degree in communications or journalism. The median salary for this position is $43,000 per year.
Music therapist: Utilizes music as a treatment to help patients accomplish personal goals and overcome traumatic events. Professionals have to evaluate emotional well-being and social interaction and have cognitive and communication skills in order for treatment to be effective. Follow-up treatment is necessary in order to track the progress of the patient. Music therapy positions generally start off paying $46,000 yearly. Years of educational training are required for this position in order to obtain proper credentials.
Film and TV supervisors: Obtaining a supervisor position can potentially lead to making six figures annually. Offering music that has previously been recorded to TV shows and movies can open a new door for generating commission. Advertising music can be a lucrative business with the proper resources and knowledge of networking. Pay can range between $2,000 and $500,000 per project.
Booking agent: Artists need to find gigs to obtain investment money for future projects as well as to pay bills. Handling engagements and maintaining personal relationships is vital in this career field. Making connections with people who have experience in the industry will bring increased revenue and resources. Booking agents can set prices based upon events or shows that have been booked. Range of pay is wide, from $20,000 to $1,000,000 annually.
Recording engineer: The sound and audio are the most important aspects to being a successful musician. When presenting a demo to a major record label, it must be of high quality and clear. This job entails overseeing the technical and artistic elements of a recording session. Good quality music requires mixing, mastering and manipulating audio by using electronic effects. $51,500 is the average annual salary for this position. A bachelor’s degree is recommended for this position, but not required if the candidate has prior experience.
Music lawyer: Artists need help negotiating and disputing contracts and battling copyright infringement. Music lawyers protect the artist by creating, translating and negotiating contracts with producers, record labels and other associates. The starting salary for lawyers, including those in the music industry, is generally around $114,300.