Business Careers

Business Careers in Music

Job Category	Job Title	Salary	Summary
Concert Industry	Booking Agent	$20,000 - $3,000,000 Commissions range, typically 10% - 20% of the act's gross income per show. $50,000 - Developing Artist $500,000-$3,000,000 - Star $50,000 - $250,000/Booking Specialty Agent	Secures engagements for musical groups through building relationships with buyers (promoters, music clubs, festivals, performing arts centers). Booking Specialty Agent may book clubs, festivals, sponsorships, corporate events, etc.
Concert Industry	Booking Assistant	$30,000 - $60,000	Often considered an "Agent in training".
Concert Industry	Booking Boutique Agency Owner	$200,000 - $2,000,000	Similar duties to Booking Agent, above.
Concert Industry	Concert Hall Manager	$26,000 - $90,000+	Oversees all activities that happen in the facility. Duties include supervising all employees, financial accounting, advertising events, and in some cases securing talent.
Concert Industry	Concert Hall Marketing Director	$25,000 - $100,000+	Develops advertising campaigns, creates marketing materials, and pitches to press outlets for their venue. Degree and/or experience with marketing, advertising, and public relations required.
Concert Industry	Concert Promoter	$10,000 - $1,000,000	Manages all details of presenting a show (concert, club, festival) including scouting talent, marketing, fundraising, venue specs, hospitality, etc. Venue size and location influences position's salary.
Concert Industry	Late-Night Television Music Supervisor-Producer-Booker	$100,000 - $200,000	Similar duties as Booking Agent, above,
Concert Industry	Lighting Director	$500 - $1,000 per week	Club-level touring.
Concert Industry	Merchandiser	$1,000 per week	Theater/Arena-level touring.
Concert Industry	Morning Show Music Supervisor or Producer	$100,000 - $200,000	Same as above.
Concert Industry	Production Manager	$1,500 - $8,000 per week	Responsible for the overall staffing, budget, safety, advance lighting and sound reinforcement for every show on a tour.
Concert Industry	Promoter	15% of door	Club-level touring.
Concert Industry	Road Manager	$25,000 - $125,000+	Supports artist on tour regarding travel, budget, merchandise sales, fan interaction, and press requests. In addition, enforces contract rider requirements for backline, sound system, and lighting setup with the venue.
Concert Industry	Roadie	$700 - $1,000 per week	Club-level touring.
Concert Industry	Sound Technician (see also Audio Technology section)	$27,000 - $65,000+	Working in a club, theater, concert hall, arena, performing arts center the resident sound technician provides house sound and monitors for concerts/events. Also responsible for maintaining sound equipment.
Concert Industry	Stage Manager	$24,000 - $75,000+	Supervises all technical needs for sound, lighting, electric, and staging both on stage and back stage. Communicates needs between artist and tech crew.
Concert Industry	Tour Accountant	$1,500 - $6,000 per week	Theater/Arena-level touring.
Concert Industry	Tour Coordinator	$35,000 - $175,000+	Researches and assembles tour details including travel, lodging, local services, hospitality, and budget.
Concert Industry	Tour Manager	$2,500 - $10,000 per week	Theater/Arena-level touring.
Concert Industry	Tour Publicist	$30,000 - $100,000+	Announces an act's tour to both fans and the media through press releases, press conferences, and special promotions.
Concert Industry	Tour Site Coordinator or Advance Person	$25,000 - $48,000	Arrives ahead of the act on tour to prepare for a concert and assists the tour coordinator or road manager with details prior to the show. Details to confirm can include promotional material, tech needs, transportation, and hospitality.
Digital-Streaming Media	Community or Social Media Manager	$40,000 - $70,000	Establishes strategic goals for community- related content for an organization. Develops, directs and implements the content. Requires a bachelor's degree with at least 5 years of experience in a related area.
Digital-Streaming Media	Content Curator	$50,000 - $70,000	Generally refers to a website operator who gathers together data/products/reviews and so on, that are found spread over a huge variety of sources (usually online) that all pertain to some common topic
Digital-Streaming Media	Director of Content	$75,000 - $85,000	Writes/gathers online content for a company's web- site. Monitors current industry standards and techniques to ensure effective content. Requires a bachelor's degree in a related area and 3-5 years of experience in the field or in a related area.
Digital-Streaming Media	Interaction Experience or User Interface Designer	$90,000 - $170,000	Designs and implements common user interface standards, design guidelines, GUI prototypes, HTML, etc. Works with the product development team to design online user experiences. May require an advanced degree with at least 5 years of experience.
Digital-Streaming Media	Licensing Manager	$70,000 - $90,000
Digital-Streaming Media	Search Engine Optimization Specialist	$90,000 - $110,000	Uses traffic tracking applications to collect and analyze data, recognize user patterns and trends, and formulate effective marketing techniques.
Music Communications	Artist's Publicist	$500 - $10,000 per month	Similar to Label VP Publicity, but focused exclusively on one artist.
Music Communications	Music Blogger	$23,000 - $75,000	These positions require strong writing skills, a good contact network, and previous experience. Musicians/writers often start by writing for campus publications or by volunteering to cover events for smaller publications.
Music Communications	Music Editor	$50,000 - $150,000/Major publication or website	These positions require strong writing skills, a good contact network, and previous experience. Musicians/writers often start by writing for campus publications or by volunteering to cover events for smaller publications.
Music Communications	Music Journalist	$15,000 - $30,000 $50 - $150 for a review $100 - $500 for a feature	These positions require strong writing skills, a good contact network, and previous experience. Musicians/writers often start by writing for campus publications or by volunteering to cover events for smaller publications.
Music Communications	Public Relations Agency JR Publicist	$40,000 - $50,000	Midsize agency.
Music Communications	Public Relations Agency VP	$100,000 - $125,000	Midsize agency.
Music Communications	Public Relations Specialist	$25,000 - $200,000	May be expert in mitigating negative media coverage or in a niche media outlets such as blogs.
Music Communications	Publisher or Editor of Music Books or Periodicals	$24,000 - $100,000	Manages staff, commissions articles or books from freelancers and selects already written articles from a range of sources, writes and edits books and articles.
Music Communications	Radio Promotion	$250,000	Depends on the number of formats.
Music Communications	Social Media Specialist	$60,000 - $80,000	Responsible for defining and executing a specific social media strategy, as well as cultivating and managing branded online communities on the company's behalf. Excellent writing and editing skills for multiple media channels are required, as is a strong customer service mindset.
Music Products	Accessories Distributor
Music Products	Instrument Maker	$15,000 - $65,000	Training or apprenticeship programs are required. Pay scale depends on the quality of the work, reputation, and amount of experience.
Music Products	Instrument Repair Technician	$9 - $55/hour
Music Products	Marketing or Advertising Specialist	$28000-$116000
Music Products	Music Dealer - Sales	$13,000 - $50,000	Salary often tied to commissions.
Music Products	Music Instrument and/or	$19000-$75000
Music Products	Piano Tuner	$100 - $185/tuning
Music Publishing	Assistant at Music Publishing Company	$30,000 - $35,000	Assists Coordinator at Music Publishing Company.
Music Publishing	CEO Music Publishing Company-Indie	$300,000 - $500,000	Similar duties to those of Director of Music Publishing Company, above.
Music Publishing	Coordinator at Music Publishing Company	$40,000	Coordinates a particular department under the supervision of Director of Music Publishing.
Music Publishing	Copyright or Licensing Administrator	$20,000 - $60,000	Manages all the exclusive rights related to a creative work. Business/law experience/education helpful.
Music Publishing	Director of Music Publishing Company	$75,000 - $80,000	Supervises all the company departments. The managing director is responsible for corporate governance, budgets, strategic plans, operating plans, internal communications, marketing and personnel relations.
Music Publishing	Note Setter	$15000-$50000	Transcribes music and sound onto paper for other musicians to read and perform.
Music Publishing	Senior Manager or Director at Music Publishing Company-Indie	$60,000 - $80,000	Similar duties to those of Coordinator of Music Publishing Company, above.
Music Publishing	Song Plugger (Sales Representative)	$20,000 - $64,590	Pitches compositions from their publishing house to artists and record companies to be recorded and performed.
Non-Profit Arts Administration	Administrative Assistant	$20,000 - $35,000+	Typically, entry-level arts administration positions require organizational / interpersonal / computer skills, office work experience, and knowledge of music/arts.
Non-Profit Arts Administration	Development Associate	$36,000 - $55,000+	Previous fundraising experience is required. Experience in public speaking and database management are also necessary.
Non-Profit Arts Administration	Executive Director	$20,000 - $250,000	Bachelor's degree is required and a master's degree is preferred. Often requires management and fundraising experience.
Non-Profit Arts Administration	Public Relations	$30,000 - $75,000	These positions require relevant work experience, strong communication skills and computer skills. Salary is based on applicant's qualifications and experience.
Record Industry	A & R Administrator	$25,000 - $65,000	Responsible for much of the clerical functions of the department.
Record Industry	A & R Representative	$30,000 - $85,000+	Researches talent for the company to sign to recording contracts.
Record Industry	Artist Manager	10% - 50% of artist's earnings $30,000 - $200,000/Developing Artist $2,000,000 - $10,000,000/Star	Negotiates business relationships, advises on all business decisions, and guides creative directions for the performer they represent.
Record Industry	Artist Relations Representative	$25,000 - $65,000+	Acts as a liaison between company's artists and media, etc.
Record Industry	Digital Marketing Manager	$24,000 - $55,000	Communicates the value of a company to their customers through digital advertising channels like social media, websites, and email.
Record Industry	Indie Label Distribution Company President	$150,000 - $200,000	Oversees the strategic distribution of music media and products, both digital and physical.
Record Industry	Indie Label Publicist	$50,000 - $70,000	Similar duties to those of Label VP Publicity, above, on an indie level.
Record Industry	Indie Label VP A & R	$50,000 - $80,000	Responsible for discovering and signing talent to the label, and managing the whole process.
Record Industry	Indie Label VP Marketing	$60,000 - $80,000	Responsible for all aspects of marketing for the label.
Record Industry	Indie Label VP Sales	$60,000 - $80,000	Controls the national sales division of the company. Similar to the Regional Sales Manager, above
Record Industry	International Department	Varies	Oversees foreign sales and ensures effective communication between domestic and foreign affiliates.
Record Industry	Label Assistant/Receptionist	$35,000 - $40,000	The first person to receive phone calls, mail, visitors, and business associates, and should be able to make great first impressions.
Record Industry	Label Entry-Level Marketing	$40,000	Responsible for helping to come up with new marketing concepts, working with the creative department on images and advertisements, develop marketing strategies and plans, and present findings to company executives.
Record Industry	Label Executive Assistant	$55,000	Acts as a gatekeeper to the company's higher-ups, maintains an organized calendar for executive appointments and daily activities, and will maintain an "outsiders" perspective in regards to the macro view of the company.
Record Industry	Label Public Relations Assistant	$30,000 - $35,000	Responsible for assisting with the creation and implementation of public relations initiatives of the label. Conceives and creates promotional content for PR purposes.
Record Industry	Label VP Publicity	$150,000	The PR vice president manages the overall administration of PR programs for assigned clients, including staff administration, PR planning, financial management, budgeting, professional systems development, staff training and professional development.
Record Industry	Manager's Assistant	$35,000 - $50,000	Oversees the day-to-day business affairs of an artist under the supervision of the Artist Manager.
Record Industry	Music Attorney	$70,000 - $150,000+	Evaluates all legal issues concerning musicians, particularly issues with copyright, trademark, and contract negotiation.
Record Industry	Regional Sales Manager	$35,000 - $85,000+	Supervises the sale of the label's records to wholesalers and/or retail outlets in a specific region, creating sales campaigns and policies, and overseeing sales staff.
Record Industry	Webmaster	$28,000 - $150,000+	Designs and maintains the company's website dealing with site architecture and functionality.
Record Industry	Website Content Producer	$28,000 - $75,000	Develops interesting and unique content for a label's site including artist bios, stories about upcoming tours, announcements about new releases, and features about label artists.