Contributed Post
Not every career in the music industry is a singing, dancing, and guitar playing one. There are plenty of avenues that you can explore in the music industry that pay well and will put you in the mix.
Photo by Simon Noh on Unsplash
Roadie
This one is super cool for wandering souls. You will be a touring professional, helping bands get from a to b. You’ll be a master at hooking up everything from monitors and big amps, to going through the soundcheck. Where ever the performers go, you will go too. Usually, that will mean that you are living out of a suitcase and either hotel rooms or a bus. If you are the type that likes your creature comforts, this is not the one for you.
Writer/Journo
You can start getting into this really quickly and easily in the beginning. Start by writing your own website or blog. Stay up to date with all the newest releases, who is one tour, you can even spend time digging up old releases and make comparisons.
When you have honed your ear and writing skill, start applying to see lives shows on behalf of some of the radio stations and magazines that you read. They’ll be looking for some insight into the band, their sound and ultimately people will rely on you for the best opinion.
Seeing trends in music, looking for up-and-comers, and keeping your ear to the ground is essential. Without a doubt will involve late nights, but a lot of fun.
Lawyer & Accountant
Bands and musicians need a lot of protection when it comes to their music. Lawyers will; be going over contracts, as well as creating them, arranging the best deals with record labels and managers as well as getting their clients out of trouble should the need arise. If this sounds like fun, then you should research the role of a lawyer in music.
When it comes to making money in music, a lot is going on. Syndication, rights, pay per play, a sound financial person is a must. Without it, musicians might find that the advance on the album didn’t last quite as long as the band thought it would.
A&R
If there is a new band to know about, a good Artist & Repertoire knows about them. You can see the potential of a group within a few live gigs, and you know where they will be best placed in the market. Scouting for talent makes you super happy and working closely with the artists to get their albums produced and in the right hands at a recording stupid will be what they live for.
Music isn’t just something you love, it is a reason to get up in the morning. If this sounds like you then A&R is where it is at for you.
Song Writer
There are very few artists that don’t have a swathe of amazing writers ready to help them craft the perfect no.1 hit. You have a way with words that not many other people can master, and the nuance that you have in the lyrics can hit on a few levels. You might have a degree in creative writing, you might not. What you will have is the ability to write something that can be emotive and melodic.
Festival Organizer
Whatever you do, don’t follow in the footsteps of the Fyre Festival. This is an enormous undertaking, and it needs someone who is willing to put in the hours, negotiate a lot, and of the time it can feel pretty thankless. However, seeing it all come together on the evening will be pretty much, unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. You’ll need to handle bookings, equipment, security, tickets, venues, and marketing at a minimum.
Record Label
In the last few years, record labels have been revolutionized by streaming platforms and how the music business is moving. You can, with a little research, set up a complete label in your living room. The hours might be slightly longer than average jobs, because not only will you be doing the day to day running, but you will for a little while being the A&R too.
Once you have worked out how to get your artists up on the streaming sites, you’ll likely need to market like you’ve never marketed before to get those sales coming in.
Looking after your artists and making sure that they can record new music, sell their old music and tour will be essential to making money.
There is a lot of space in the music industry for a range of skills, and none of them include being able to hold a tune. So if you love music and want to make a career out of it, there are just a few of your options!
