Commercial Music
Commercial music is the study of music as a creative and professional practice in the contemporary industry, examining how music is written, produced, performed, marketed, and distributed in a landscape shaped by streaming, social media, and the globalisation of music culture. It is a discipline that combines musical skill and creativity with an understanding of the business, technology, and professional structures within which music makers operate. Where conservatoire training focuses narrowly on classical or jazz performance, commercial music prepares you for the breadth of careers available in the modern music industry, from recording and production to management and promotion.
At the University of Chichester, you will study Commercial Music over three years, full time. The programme develops your musical abilities across performance, songwriting, music technology, and production, while also introducing you to the business and legal aspects of the music industry, including publishing, licensing, live music management, and digital distribution. You will work in recording studio environments and develop practical skills in audio engineering, mixing, and music software, alongside more traditional musical training in composition and arrangement.
The programme encourages you to think professionally about your own music and to develop the entrepreneurial mindset needed to build a sustainable career in a competitive and rapidly changing industry.
Graduates of commercial music programmes pursue careers as musicians, producers, songwriters, recording engineers, music managers, tour managers, music journalists, music teachers, and in music publishing and promotion. The degree's combination of musical craft and industry awareness prepares graduates for the realities of the professional music world rather than just the artistic side. Some graduates continue into postgraduate study in music technology, music business, or music production, while others build portfolios of professional work alongside other income streams.