Commercial Music

Commercial music is a broad and evolving field that encompasses songwriting, music production, artist management, music business and the full range of creative and commercial activities that make up the contemporary music industry. It sits at the intersection of artistic practice and commercial reality, asking you to develop both as a musician or music-maker and as someone who understands how the industry works, how music reaches audiences and how careers and businesses are built within it. At the University of Chester, this three-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop your musical and professional perspective in a different cultural context.

You will develop skills in music production and recording, songwriting, digital distribution, music marketing, copyright law, live events, artist development and the business structures of the music industry. The programme encourages you to understand music from multiple angles simultaneously: as a creative practitioner, as a business professional and as someone who appreciates the cultural and social significance of what the industry produces. You will work on projects that develop your portfolio and your professional networks, and the year abroad adds an international dimension that is increasingly relevant in a music industry that operates globally.

Careers from this degree span the full range of the music industry and the broader creative economy. Graduates work as producers, songwriters, music supervisors, artist managers, music publishers, label representatives, promoters, events professionals, music journalists and digital marketing specialists. Many build portfolio careers that combine several of these roles, and the entrepreneurial skills developed on the programme support those who want to establish their own practice or business.

Further study in music business, music technology or arts management is also a route for those who want to specialise further.