Why it’s a great time to work in the music industry
The idea to write this article came to me after reading through a lot of industry articles. Their tone felt quite pessimistic, and it made me wonder how I would have felt if I had read these kind of articles before deciding to start a career in the music industry. It probably would have made me feel really cautious, even maybe put me off, so I wanted to brighten things up a little bit since I believe it’s a great time to work in the music industry.
I’ve been working in the industry for a few years now, but I’m still what you could call a newbie. I started off at a major record label in business development to try and sell music as a marketing tool for brands, then moved to the digital field in an emerging market. Now I’m working for a label services company based out of London. I consider myself a child of this ‘new’ music industry, the one that most people think is slowly dying.
I don’t think so.
I didn’t witness the ‘golden years’ of the music industry before the 2000s’ and yes, things might not be at their greatest right now, but everything is shifting as we have entered the digital era. And the future might not be as dark as we’re told when we take a closer look. Only a few years ago, streaming didn’t seem to be such a big deal — and this year it proved to be the biggest contributor to revenues in main European markets like France. It’s a fact that we’re not quite there yet, and some things still have to evolve, but as the whole debate around about the streaming business model shows, like every transforming industry, it will take some time.
The great thing about this mutation is that it’s a fantastic opportunity to make things happen. The fast-paced environment is favourable to innovation and competition, and the music world is bursting with ideas. Every day I’m looking forward to reading the industry news because there is something new and exciting to read about: new services, new features, new music… This is why in my opinion now is the best time to work in the music industry. We have a chance to (almost) start from scratch and get our creative minds in motion.
I’m not saying it is easy, and I always have a kind thought for the persons who might not be as technology savvy as the newer generation. The digital shift brought a fair amount of technical tools to embrace, and I understand it can be really hard to keep up . Our generation has a lot to learn from their tales of the good old times, and they’re willing to learn from us as well, as long as we take the time to exchange and explain. It could be really gratifying: one of my colleagues from the physical side of the business told me he was taking so much more pleasure at doing his job since I’ve joined the company because he feels boosted by our collaboration. We take the better of our two worlds to be complementary and stronger together.
And it feels good.
I have to admit I was a bit worried when I joined the world of independent labels. For years I had been watching them fight for their place in the sun, all from afar, and I was going to be one of them… But I’m so happy I’ve made the move. The indies have started to matter more than ever before, and even to scare the majors a little. Their battles are hard but fair and well fought and it’s very inspiring to see companies, which are in reality competitors, set their differences aside and unite as a single voice to be heard. I was proud when their common front made Apple bend and review their contract terms for their new streaming service. It felt like writing history.
It’s only natural that indie labels finally get recognition. When you think about it, they have a major place in this industry, as trendsetters. Thanks to their proximity of the underworld scene, indie labels are always on the lookout for newcomers and sign artists before they become of interest for the major labels. The best example this year is grime music. This musical subgenre close to hip-hop and rap has been around for decades without major interest but with the massive success of Skepta’s hit ‘Shutdown’, grime has now been thrown under a massive spotlight and its independent artists are being courtedby major labels. In that sense, indie labels are often the first ones to spot the international stars of tomorrow, and more and more of them manage to break these talents as well: Adele or Arctic Monkeys to only name a few.
This is another reason why I think the music industry is healthy, and artists now have a better chance than ever before. We have access to a wealthof data which helps them learn about fans demographics and listening habits, and reach the right person at the right time. When looking at the best-selling music and seeing some high quality artists being under evaluated, it makes me sad. But I have faith. I’ve seen some new artists with very little activity going on achieving some great results on digital platforms so I know the taste for quality music is still out there. It’s so rewarding to see artists you believe in getting picked up like this, out of nowhere… It gives me motivation in my daily job.
All of this constitutes solid arguments to recommend working in the music industry and I hope there will still be lots of new people motivated to get on board this exciting industry. I’m always pleased to introduce new interns to the mysteries of the digital world and see their eyes brighten with interest and curiosity. The path is long and uneasy, butthe reward of working in a field so many people are passionate about is a reward in itself! I wouldn’t change jobs for all the gold in the world.
