Music Jobs - Not Just For Musicians!

We all love music, well most of us anyway, but I wonder how many folks actually consider a career in the music industry? It's a bit of a misconception to think that the music industry is just made up of Musicians, DJ's, and people who love to sing, play and perform. The truth is there is a multitude of music jobs or music related jobs to choose from that support such acts as the above.

A lot of youngsters dream about music jobs, as in the role of an artist, but to hit the big time is very difficult as competition is enormous. There really is an abundance of musical talent out there and it's true to say that there are some people busking on the streets that should be entertaining the world with their natural talent, and there are some big names in the industry that should be busking on the streets.

A lot of the top jobs in music are often got by simply being in the right place at the right time, and I'm sorry to say, that as well as luck, personal appearance can play a big role too. But being a musician is only part of the overall music scene. In fact, I doubt most artists even look at their highly paid careers as jobs, but more as a may of life. So let's take a brief look at some of the other opportunities there are with music jobs or jobs related to the music industry that don't involve entertaining.



The A&R Person: Many young people in particular want to know what occupational qualifications are required to work as an A & R person, and it's perhaps one of the most sought after jobs in the industry. The A & R person (artist and repertoire ) is responsible for scouting and developing new talent.

These are the guys that are looking for the next Robbie Williams, Pavarotti, or Vanessa Mae. As well as going out and about to venues, they also have to sit and listen to mountains of demo tapes that pile up on their desks weekly. A tough job no doubt, but very interesting if your heart's in it.

But to get into such a position you might be best to start off making tea and running to the shops for a company that employs A&R people in an attempt to work your way up to such a role, as this type of job is a talent in its own right and not something a paper qualification can give you.

The Artist Manager: This must be one of the toughest jobs in the biz, as they have to take all the flack from artists, plus protect them from all the scum that crawls out of the woodwork in an attempt to grab a piece of the action. Music jobs in band and solo artist management basically require the manager to do everything that an artist can't do, or shouldn't need to do, for themselves.

Tour Manager: We've all seen them, running around like headless chickens, shouting and bawling at anyone and everyone in an attempt to handle all the personnel issues during a hectic tour. Music jobs in tour management range from making simple decisions about the route that the tour bus will take to making sure that the artist is are fit, ready, and able to perform on cue.

Music Journalist: If you have a talent for writing and a love for music, then music jobs in music journalism might be right up your alley. Always out and about with one ear to the ground, the music journalists are responsible for writing ad delivering breaking news stories about the music scene including, reviews of concerts and records, old artists, up and coming stars, gossip and interviews. If you've got the flare for this you could either be office based for a publication or work as a freelancer from home.

There are literally countless jobs related to the music industry that don't involve a raw talent to play and perform, and I've touched on just a few of them here. Others include music jobs in PR/Promotions, studio engineers, drivers, roadies, makeup artists and so on. If you're interested in music related jobs, you won't have to dig too deep to uncover a world of opportunities in this industry.