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Industry Overview
The career options within the music & recording industry are as diverse as music itself. The industry employs professionals in a vast number of occupations that will call upon diverse educational backgrounds, technical skills and talents. Depending on personal interest and ability, you may become involved in the music & recording industry on a number of levels through different career paths.
Below is a brief overview of a few of the larger functional areas within the industry and possible job titles within those areas. This is in no way inclusive of all career options within the industry. If you have a specific career interest that is not described here, speak with a Career Counselor.
A & R
Those employed in A & R find and sign new talent by reviewing demo tapes, attending shows and clubs, and keeping up with trends in local and emerging music scenes. They also connect with existing talent, encouraging the talent to record future works with their record label. Once talent is signed, A & R professionals work with the talent on all aspects of their career, including finding songs, connecting them with business managers, accountants, lawyers, and coordinating efforts with other departments within the record label to assure their success.
Possible Titles: A & R Representative, Talent Acquisition Rep, Artist & Repertoire Coordinator
Production
Those on the production side of the industry work with artists and musicians to select songs, tailor songs to the artist’s strengths, find an appropriate studio to record the music and see the music through all stages of the mixing and mastering, arranging for and working with appropriate recording and production staff.
Possible Titles: Arranger, Producer, Sound Engineer, Recording Engineer, Studio Assistant, Studio Manager, Acoustician, Mastering Engineer, Music Editor
PR/Marketing/Promotion
The goal of professionals in the promotion area is to get as much airplay as possible for the label’s albums and singles. To do this, they work with radio stations and music video networks to encourage them to include singles and albums in their rotations. Professionals in promotions work closely with marketing and/or advertising to assure artist merchandise, such as t-shirts, posters, bumper stickers, and advertisements promoting the artist are reaching consumers through traditional and internet retail operations or through radio station events and giveaways. Consumer researchers work to identify where, how, and to what populations the promotion and marketing efforts will be most effective. Public relations professionals assist by scheduling promotional appearances, radio and television interviews, and press conferences to generate a positive buzz about the artist(s) and assure consumers are aware of the album and singles. They also manage the overall image for the artist/group.
Possible Titles: Regional Promotions Manager, Staff Publicist, Marketing Representative, Consumer Researcher, Advertising Account Manager, Public Relations Representative
Music Publishing
Professionals in music publishing are responsible for acquiring songs from songwriters or artists, filing the appropriate copyright paperwork, and obtaining the rights to the song. Once the rights are obtained, the publisher then works to sell the song by getting an artist to record it or having the song used in a movie, commercial or television show. The publisher also assures there is no copyright infringements or unauthorized use of the song and pursues royalties for all use of the material.
Talent (Singers, Songwriters, Musicians)
If your career goal is to be the person singing, writing, or playing the music, you need to understand the roles of those in the functional areas described above and need to get to know as many of those people as possible. Entire books can, and have, been written with tips on establishing yourself as a singer, songwriter and musician. You can speak with a UCS counselor or check out some of the many books out there in the UCS library for more information on breaking into the industry.
Not interested in the areas listed above? What about these areas:
Finance/Business Management
Entertainment Law (Intellectual property, copyright, recording contracts)
Entertainment Journalism (Rolling Stone, Spin, Variety)
Photography (for cover art, promotional materials, press kits, industry publications)
Graphic Design/Layout (for cover art, promotional materials)
Tour Coordination
Concert Promotion
Getting Started
The industry is very competitive; networking is a key component to getting your foot in the door. Start developing connections early on through informational interviewing and interning, and put in the effort to maintain those connections. When looking for job or internship opportunities, review your own music collection; what record companies are producing the music you listen to? Those companies would be a great place to begin your search, though keep in mind that many do not post their job and internship opportunities and you may need to contact them to inquire about opportunities. Also keep in mind that in the music industry it can take time and hard work to land your first job and move up the industry ladder, and during the early stages of your career your salary may not be substantial.
Resources
General Resources
Job/Internship Resources
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