“So You Want a Career in the Music Industry”
By Shirley A. Washington, JD MBA

When I participate in seminars or workshops or on panels, the one question consistently asked is “How do I get into the music business”? For the aspiring artist, songwriter or producer the answer is usually record a demo of your songs, shop it to a record label, music publishing or production company and hope that someone will sign you. But for the many other individuals interested in pursuing a career in the music industry including, the high school, college graduate or professional student, as well as career changers, you will have to create your own personal career plan to get into the industry.

One of the great things about this industry is the diversity of behind the scene career choices you have available to you. These positions include becoming a record company executive, booking or talent agent, choreographer, concert promoter, fanzine or webzine publisher, image consultant, midi specialist, music supervisor, music video producer, street team marketer, radio disc jockey, record producer, Used CD Cassette and Record Shop owner, sound engineer, just to name a few.

In this article, I will try to offer suggestions on the various ways one can become involved in the ever evolving field called “the music industry”. I say evolving because over the past few years the industry has been in a slump, or whatever you want to call it. Major reasons include illegal downloading, CD duplication, corporate mergers and acquisitions, strained relations between artist and record labels, record companies not being in tune with their audience ,etc. etc., yada, yada, yada!!! But I’m here to tell you, the industry is on its way back. And there is whole new way of doing business in the music industry. One that supports the whole idea of entrepreneurship or doing- it-yourself (D-I-Y). But that is another whole series of articles for the future.

First things first,

To figure out what options are open to you, you must be truthful to yourself and determine where are you now in your career or personal development. Are you an aspiring artist, producer, or songwriter? a high school, college, graduate or professional student? A career changer? Based upon your answer to this question the following options may be open to you:

A. The High School Student
There are a variety of ways high school students can become involved in the music industry in even if your are less than the age required to obtain a work permit.

1. Volunteer and/or join music related organizations.
Volunteer to work on your high school paper and offer to become the entertainment editor. Report on the various musical events that occur in school and/or in the community. Write reviews of newly released CDs, music videos, and DVD releases you and your friends view on TV or play on the home computer. Join the high school band orchestra or form your own band. Here you can learn to read, write and play music, which will be an invaluable tool if you decide to become a songwriter, studio musician, or producer. A lot of singing groups and rock bands were started in high school.

2. Part-Time Work.
As soon as you are able to obtain a work permit (age 14 in most states) seek out part-time work in a record store or music related retail store. Work behind the cash register or as a stock person or perform clerical work. Although a lot of retailers will not hire students under the age of 16, if you are persistent and have shown your commitment to being in the music industry someone will recognize that and eventually give you a chance. You can also volunteer your services at first, this is a good way to get your foot in the door.

3. Become a local disc jockey.
Becoming a DJ is probably one of the easiest ways to become involved in the industry. If you have the talent and personality, are willing to learn the art of mixing and scratching two records or CD’s together and you have the equipment (turntable, mixing board and speakers or computer ) or can borrow the equipment , you can make a fair amount of money being a local disc jockey and playing at music events sponsored by family, friends and local organizations. Create some business cards, let your friends know about your skills and get moving.

B. The College Student
As a college student you have many opportunities available to you to become involved in the industry.

1. Volunteer Work.
Volunteer to work on your college or local newspapers as the student entertainment editor. You can also work behind the scenes or become a disc jockey , music supervisor or manager at your college radio station. Become involved in the organization, e.g. the Student Activity Board or Office of Student Services, that is responsible for bringing talent to campus. This gives you the opportunity to reach out to those vendors of talent that cater to the college market and begin to make invaluable contacts that could potentially lead to an internship or a job.

2. College Representative for a record company.
Record companies hire students to promote their artist to the local college radio stations and to assist them in setting up promotional visits by their artist to the college. These individuals called College Representatives are usually given a certain territory to promote and distribute product by the record company. The “College Rep” reports back to the record company the response to particular artists at the college level. Record Companies know that many new artists are first “broken” or introduced at the college level because this market is often more receptive to new or alternative types of music. Therefore, they hire college reps to promote their artist. Today, students are also hired as Street Team marketers as well. Whether you are a college rep or member of the street team you usually receive a lot of free goods including t-shirts, hats, posters, stickers and Compact Disk to hand out as promotional items in support of the artist the record label is trying to promote. Competition for these positions is pretty fierce so it is best to apply early in the school year or even the semester prior to when you want to start.

3. Part-time work.
If your schedule permits and you want to earn money as well, you can apply to work in your local record store or the retail stores with major music departments. These include major bookstores with music departments like Borders, Books and Music, Barnes and Noble, as well music equipment and supply stores such as Sam Ash or Guitar Center or your local record store such as Tower, Coconuts, FYE, Virgin , HMV and the like . You can also work part-time in any one of the following: a recording studio, rehearsal space studio, video or music production company, a personal management company, booking agency or a publicity firm.

4. Internships.
Internships, paid or non-paid, are a great way to get your foot in the door and earn college credit for the experience. These internships often lead to part-time, summer, and full-time positions after college if you’re able to show your capabilities and how you will be an asset to the organization. Starting early in the school year and being persistent is very important. As coordinator of the internship program at NYU, where the demand for our interns far exceed the supply of students , I’ve seen individuals who start off answering the phones and filing or photocopying become mid-level executives at record companies or start their own businesses upon graduation. To obtain a record company internship go to the record companies website and see if they offer internships or, if you have a contact that works at a record company ask them to inquire for you. Submit the necessary paperwork (resume, transcripts, letters of recommendation) and hopefully you’ll hear from them.

5. Promote and/or sponsor parties.
If you have access to a hall or party room and you can publicize the event well, you can promote and sponsor parties for the college market and/or the local community. Probably one of the most infamous entrepreneurs within the entertainment industry today, P. Diddy or Sean Combs, started his career this way while attending Howard University in Washington, DC. Now he owns a record label (Bad Boy Entertainment), a fashion company (Sean John), two restaurants (Justin’s) and in recently won men’s designer of the year award from the Council of Fashion Designers.

6. Start your own record label, management or production company.
If you have a good ear for spotting talent and you can develop the talent into a commercial product, have access to a recording studio you can always start your own record label, management or production company. Today, with technology being the way it is, it’s pretty easy to get your artist product recorded. Your major upfront cost will be for administration (staffing), marketing, manufacturing and distribution. But it can be done. At Ramapo College the students in my Advanced Business of Music Class just released their second compilation CD of college musicians and friends. The total cost, including the CD release party which was the major promotional strategy used, was a little over $1,200.00. A lot of sweat equity and teamwork was put into the project by the students. More importantly though, each one of my students who want to be involved in the music industry have a real example of product they can use to show to prospective employers or internship sponsors.

7. Create and/ or start in your own public access cable channel music show.
If you have cable television in your area you can create a public access program geared toward the music industry. If you are not familiar with cable television, one of the requirements your local cable operator agreed to in order to operate a cable station in your area, was to offer the public the opportunity to broadcast cable programs of their own creation, thus the term “public access”. If you have access to video equipment and have a story to tell here is your chance to become a star and/or to create one.

8. Register for courses on the music business and/or the entertainment industry.
While in college learn as much as you can about the business side of the music industry while obtaining practical knowledge as well. For future entrepreneurs, this is so important. Major in business or economics and minor in music business management or music education. If your school doesn’t offer courses in the music business see if you can take the courses at another local college and still obtain credit for them. Check into courses offered by local music organizations, continuing education divisions of other colleges, as well as independent companies such as The Learning Annex. Learn the business!!! Read each and every publication you can get your hands on in the area of the music industry. Your college and local library, the large chain bookstores and music retail stores have a good selection of music industry related publications.

C. The graduate and professional student.
Many of the same choices that available for the college student are available to the graduate or professional student including volunteer work, paid or non-paid internships, and part-time jobs. The following are additional options for the graduate or professional student.

1. Gear your independent projects or term papers around the music industry.
As part of the music business graduate program at NYU the students are required to write a colloquy, a research project geared toward an issue in the music industry. Many of the students have used their colloquy as an example of the type of work product they are able produce and subsequently have received job interviews or job offers based upon their projects.

2. Set up informational sessions and interviews with music industry related personnel.
Most industry “bigwigs” love to talk about themselves and offer advice about their positions and the music industry itself. They are usually very receptive to speaking with students who are thinking about having a career in the music industry. One may even take a special interest in you and become your mentor in the industry.

3. Attend industry related conferences and seminars, take a lot of notes, ask questions, and network.

D. Career Changers
Today it is quite common to find individuals who have started one career and for a variety of reasons decide to begin another career in a totally different field. For those career changers you have the following options.

1. Lateral or upward move in your present job.
The present wave of mergers and acquisitions of companies directly or indirectly involved in the entertainment industry have created tremendous opportunities for those individuals who want to get their foot in the door or who already work at one of their subsidiaries. For example, if you work for the Disney Company you could potentially obtain a job at the ABC Television Network since Disney now owns ABC/Capital Cities. Look within your company to see whether a lateral or upward move is available at an entertainment related entity within your company. You might have to take a pay cut, but if you’ve proven your worth you’ll move up very fast and you won’t lose your benefits package.

2. Temporary jobs in the industry.
If you’ve been laid off, not sure what part of the music industry you’re interested in, or are re-entering the job market, sign up with a temporary agency. If you have computerized secretarial skills and are organized, administrative assistant or receptionist positions are usually plentiful. If you have bookkeeping skills or financial analysis skills sign up with a accounting placement company like Accountemps or Robert Half International, Inc. and request any type of assignment that comes through from an entertainment related company. There are even agencies that cater to the entertainment industry, as well as temporary agencies that have listing for individuals with experience in the entertainment industry. Again, you might have to take a cut in pay because of your lack of experience in the music industry but if your skills are still very marketable and transferable you should move up quickly.

3. Volunteer.
Every successful award show you see on television including The Grammy Awards, Country Music Awards, MTV Awards, Soul Train Awards, American Music Awards are successful because of the assistance of hundreds of volunteers who work at these events. These folks just want to be in the “mix”. They want to go to the parties, mingle with their favorite starts, add a line to their resume and network. Contact the organization directly or the executive producer of the show and ask how one becomes a volunteer.

4. Actively participate in music industry related organizations.
Become a member of an organization that caters to the music industry and volunteer to work on the various committees within that organization. I became editor-in-chief of a newsletter that caters to the women in the music industry as a result of my volunteering to work on the newsletter committee immediately after I joined. Choose a committee
where you to have to reach out to other people in the industry. You can then talk to them about their jobs and informally find out if there are any openings within their organization or see if they can recommend other people to speak with. Remember, in the music industry it is clearly a combination of “what you know and who you know”.

5. Continuing education or certification programs.
To obtain the basics of the music industry, take continuing education courses in the music business field on a non-matriculated basis or as part of a certification program. New York University and The New School have certification programs and/or courses that are offered to the general public. See if you have similar courses in your area. Or look for online courses. I know Berklee School of Music (www.berkleemusic.com) has online music business courses.

6. Attend conferences and seminars, take notes, network and ask questions.
In Billboard magazine, the weekly trade magazine of the industry, there is a section called “UPDATE” that lists the monthly events in the industry. There are usually listings of seminars, workshops, trade shows and courses being given on a regular basis. Try to attend one within your geographic area. Attend the event, ask a question of the person who represents the area of the industry you are interested in, get his business card and follow up with an email or note acknowledging the time he spent with you. For example, A&R Music1.com provides weekly Hookups (informational workshops and music reviews by phone and web) with industry insiders in music, film
and Television. The Hookups are a great way to talk and network directly with professionals and decision-makers in your areas of interest. The best part is that now you can network in major entertainment hubs like Atlanta, Nashville, Los Angeles and New York, by phone from the privacy of your home. Check their Hookup calendar and
join their mailing list to receive weekly updates on which company will be featured next.

7. Start your own company.
For those of you who are truly entrepreneurial in nature, you can start your own record label, production company, music publishing company, management company, public relations or any other business within the industry you are interested in. You can even start one of these businesses part-time and build the business so it can eventually support you on a full-time basis. With creative financing, savvy marketing techniques, use of the internet, sweat equity, and determination you can make it.

In conclusion, the music business is very exciting, always changing, and at times a very political. You must be persistent, creative and innovative. You also must constantly look for new opportunities and develop the skills necessary to take you to the next level.

Good Luck!!!