It’s easy to think that the only way to break into the music industry is by hopping on the mic or shredding some riffs on a guitar. But truthfully, there’s a lot more to the music world than being a rockstar. This is excellent news for those who love music but don’t necessarily want to be front and center. Check out some exciting music industry jobs that don’t require performance and start the journey to your dream career!
Music Producer
If you’re looking for a non-performance-based gig to get your music career off the ground, becoming a producer might be your sweet spot. Music producers are responsible for overseeing pretty much every element of a song or album. They choose which instruments vocalists and musicians use during recording sessions.
They also supervise the final edit of a song and help with mixing and mastering a track until it reaches its full potential. Producers also have to make quick decisions about the direction of a song or album, as the bill for recording time isn’t cheap.
If this sounds appealing to you, you may want to explore your options as a music producer. And while you don’t need a formal education to become one per se, having a background in music production can help your chances of success. So sign up for some educational courses to help you lay a foundation for your career.
Venue Owner
Becoming a venue owner is an excellent path for those who adore music but have more of a mind for business. Of course, opening and running your own venue is no easy feat. It requires tenacity, skill, an air-tight game plan, and an unrelenting belief in the success of your business.
But if you’ve got those things in spades and like the idea of promoting artists on a local, national, and even international level, “venue owner” might be a job description that suits you. You’ll have to have some knowledge about how to operate a business.
Plus, you’ll be responsible for promoting your venue, booking the acts, and organizing different events to keep things interesting. Thus, it helps to have some educational background or equivalent industry experience in these areas. Once you do, you’ll find that serving folks while they enjoy live music is something you can get on board with!
Music Journalist
Another non-performance career for the avid music lover is the always revered music journalist. Perhaps you have a knack for the written word and have often fantasized about following your favorite bands around and blogging about them. Maybe your dream has always been to interview world-renowned rockstars for magazines like Rolling Stone.
Or maybe you love going to local shows to get the scoop on all the new kids. If you find yourself checking off any of these boxes, music journalism could be your ticket into the music industry. Essentially, music journalists are the people who get to write about your favorite musical artists of all different genres. Luckily, there’s no shortage of ways to do this.
But if you want to make a real living doing it, you’ve got to get out there and go to shows! Learn how to take pictures, invest in travel opportunities, and get backstage passes. It also helps to have a writing portfolio to prove that you can write engaging content.
In any case, finding your way into the music world doesn’t always require being center stage. Various career paths allow you to explore and celebrate your love of music.
