If you’re anything like me, you want music to be a part of your life forever. Luckily the music industry is bustling with job opportunities. Musicians can’t run everything all on their own, and this is where you can come into play while working in the industry. You could be in charge of producing music so that it’s crisp and clean or getting artists’ shows booked.
These are just two choices from the long list of job opportunities. This educational path is great for current musicians and aspiring musicians. It helps fuel your passion for music and teaches you useful skills to push your own music career forward. Getting a music business degree opens up a large pool of jobs that pay well. It should also be a great learning experience that leaves you prepared for the world ahead.
What does a music business degree get you?
A good music business degree gets you four things: education, experience, connections, and jobs. You should feel well equipped to enter the world of the music industry by the time you get your degree. This is why it’s so important to explore your options and choose a well-roundedprogram that’s perfect for you.
There’s a large range of music business degree programs that offer different opportunities. This means that you should find a university that suits the exact kinds of jobs you want. Some colleges offer opportunities better suited for future talent scouts, while others offer opportunities that are better for future audio engineers.
There’s no definitive “best choice.” Good music degree programs teach well through their classes and include internship opportunities within their curriculums. This means you’ll be well educated and have professional experience by the time you graduate. Your experiences while getting a music business degree will also help you make important personal connections that will aid in a more easy transition into the industry.
Education
A huge advantage of getting a music business degree is, of course, an education. Having a degree is one of the best ways to expand your range of job opportunities. It will definitely stand out to future employers, and you’ll be able to open up your job pool with positions that require a music business degree. Though this is important, it’s most important to get an education with substance. The music industry can be a confusing place to someone who isn’t ready to enter it.
You want to make sure you’re learning all the things you need to know to be prepared for the future ahead. In a music business degree program, you’ll learn all about things such as marketing, accounting, music publishing, music copywriting, and music production. Some programs have more of a focus on the music itself than others. A music business major can also be studied alongside a performance major, giving you a deep knowledge of all aspects of the art and industry.
Experience
Education isn’t the only kind of experience you’ll get while working toward a music business degree. You’ll also have the chance to do internships (and you’ll definitely have so many more experiences in your life as a university student). These internships are absolutely important because previous work experience makes your job applications stand out more than anything else. It’s all about real-life application.
Doing well in the classroom isn’t exactly the same as getting out there and actually doing it. University will prepare you, but internships will truly test and refine your skills. Internships help you more easily find your way into the industry, and some even blossom into future jobs.
Connections
Networking is important in pretty much any field you’d like to be a part of. This is why it’s so important to focus on making connections as you pursue a music business degree. They can be made both through your internships and in the classroom. Internships help you develop important connections with actual professionals. This can build bridges into future job opportunities. Knowing the right people leads to you connecting with more of the right people. There’s also the flip side. Students who form a strong network of friends are more likely to
perform well on their finals and continue pursuing higher education. They help you make the best of your education and be happier while doing it. The people you work with while you’re in school might just be the people you continue working with while entering the music industry.
Jobs
The end goal is to get a job. A job that lets you explore your love for music as you work directly with it, all while getting paid. There are so many things you could become with a music business degree. Do you want to be a talent scout? You’ll be all set. Maybe a music publisher? Check. How about a music producer? You could do that too. There are so many different things that you can do with a music business degree. You’ll be well versed enough to jump around to different kinds of jobs, so you won’t have to do the exact same work forever. Here is a list of just 5 of those opportunities.
5 job opportunities for music business degrees
Music Publisher
Music publishers are in charge of copyrighting songwriters’ works and making sure they get paid. Publishers also take these works and get them into the eyes of artists who need material for new songs. As a music publisher, you’d be making sure that composers are getting their fair
share of royalties while also trying to get their works in movies, T.V., and any form of media that includes music. You’d also do the work of licensing their works to the proper performing rights organizations. A music publisher makes an average salary of $55,590.
Tour Manager
The tour manager is the person that makes sure tours are running as smoothly as possible. They assure that everyone knows exactly what’s going on and that they’re on the right track. As a tour manager, you’ll be doing things like managing finances, planning tour routes, making sure everything is going according to schedule, and getting all the equipment to the right place at the right time. In many cases, you’ll be overseeing an entire touring crew. Tour managers work hand in hand with promoters, making sure concerts draw in large crowds. The average salary for a tour manager is $54,317.
Talent Scout
Finding artists that have the potential to be the next big thing is what talent scouts do best. They seek out artists who have potential and get them in touch with agencies. As a talent scout, you will be listening to a lot of music. This can be done by either scouring the internet for up and coming new musicians or by attending live concerts. You’ll be the person who takes great musicians and gives them their gateway into the music industry. Talent scouts make about$53,898 a year.
Music Marketing Manager
Music marketing managers work to develop ad campaigns that sell albums and singles. They work a lot with the artist’s aesthetic and branding to make successful campaigns. As a music marketing manager, you want to make sure that artists get discovered by their future audience and fanbase. This is done through all sorts of advertising. It could be done through radio ads, social media promotions, and product placement. There are a huge number of ways that you can run a campaign to reach as many people as possible. Music marketing managers make a salary of $68,574 on average.
Music Producer
Someone who wants to work directly with music itself would be well-suited to be a music producer. They work hand in hand with a musician by overseeing the music creation. You’ll be working out all the kinks to make everything sounds as clean as possible. When you’re a music producer, the main goal is to make sure each song sounds exactly how it is intended. Producers are commonly noted as the directors of the music world. They typically make around $51,453 a year.
Have we answered, What does a music business degree get you?
Now, Choosing the right music business degree for you
One of the most important decisions you’ll make while getting a music business degree is the university you’ll be going to. The pool of options is pretty wide, and no two choices will be the exact same. A handy list of some of the top music business degree programs is collected in an article for CareersinMusic.com by Hugh McIntyre. This and numerous other lists can give you a well-rounded view of all the schools that could set you up with your perfect future in the music industry. Hopefully you can find a school with a music degree program that best suits you and your future career path.
So, what does a music business degree get you? A music degree gets you so much, a lifetime of experience I’d say. You’ll come out of it with both a stellar education and real-life experiences through internship opportunities. The connections that you’ll make while pursuing a music business degree will be the ones that assure a more seamless transition into the world of the music industry. The main thing that a music business degree gets you is jobs that pay well and deal with music.
Even current musicians can try their hand at getting a degree. There are so many opportunities and learning experiences involved. Are you interested in any of the jobs that a music business degree can get you?
