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Music Industry Career Tips

11 Unknown Facts About The Music Industry From A Top Executive Tim Riley
May 23, 2014

When I left college and moved to California to start my career in the music industry, working for the artists and repertoire (A&R) department of a music label, people would often say to me, “Wow, you get to travel the globe and see bands? What a great job you have!”

Then, once I left the label side to develop the music department at game developer Activision, I was blessed to stay involved with music and also work in another love of mine. I heard even more people tell me how great my job was and how lucky I am. While this is indeed all true (I have been very fortunate in my career), it's not all fun and games.

It's taken years and years of hard work, and the glitz and glamor are a very small portion of the reality of my job. So, if you're thinking about pursuing a career in the music industry, I'd like to do you the favor of giving you a dose of reality so you know what you're getting yourself into. Here are 11 unknown realities about working in the music industry — both good and bad.

1. Too Much Of A Good Thing Is Just That

While I can get backstage at any concert with a simple phone call (which is something I had always dreamed of being able to do), I usually opt out nowadays and decide to stay home (especially if it's on a weekday). I often spend all day listening to music, and once the day is over, I just can't wait to get home where it's quiet. Other times, I'll need to get up at 8 a.m. the following morning to join a conference call with a developer overseas and I just cannot stay out so late the night before. I still love going to concerts — but in moderation.

2. Embrace Genres Of Music You Would Never Normally Listen To

As a former A&R guy, one of the tricks I learned was to listen to “distinct” or “new” genres of music, just to keep myself from going insane. After weeks of seeing shows and reviewing demos, I found myself listening to music that I may have never enjoyed before, like jazz, blues or even classical. There is something cleansing about pursuing other musical avenues and opening your ears to different sounds.

3. It's Not Just About The Art

In certain industry positions, you may find yourself operating as the liaison between art and commerce. Even though the initial spirit of most deals or partnerships begins with good intentions, some people forget about the art and begin to focus only on the deal, money and commitments. In my role, I often become the middleman in arrangements and perform the difficult task of making sure both sides get what they want, without compromising either the art  or benefit for either side. Some of these deals are between huge brands, so this can be a very difficult job to perform, but in the end it has to be done — and done right!

4. The Business Side Of The Job Might Not Be Fun

The business end of the deals can be complex and far less “sexy” than one may believe. From sorting out the ownership of a song and juggling publishing splits, royalty rates, unlicensed samples and censorship issues, music supervision goes far beyond just creatively finding the right song for visual media. It’s a very lengthy process that has as much to do with budgets and clearances as it does the art. Song licensing deals vary and can be intricate, dealing with things like non-exclusive buyout arrangements, penny-rate royalties, streaming rates, satellite radio, digital jukeboxes, and more. You’ll need to understand the whole spectrum in order to be able to perform these important tasks.

5. Competition For Jobs In The Music Industry Has Increased

When I first started doing A&R in 1994, there were six major labels (WMG, EMI, BMG, Sony, PolyGram, and Universal), giving a wider range of career opportunities. Nowadays, there are only three major labels (WMG, Sony & Universal). Plus, since 2000 (around the time when Napster and other peer-to-peer file sharing platforms impacted the industry) people lost jobs within the companies, resulting in fewer opportunities for an increased number of unemployed job-seekers.


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