76% of Artists Believe Career in Music Not Sustainable [Report]

A new report released by Toolroom Academy highlights challenges faced by upcoming artists.

For up-and-coming musicians trying to make it in the electronic/dance music scene, there are a ton of major obstacles and challenges they have to overcome. A new report by Rufy Ghazi and David Boyle – head of Audience Strategies for Toolroom academy titled “From Mix to Mainstage” lays out some of the biggest hurdles these artists face in growing their careers.

As stated in the report, one of the toughest parts is just getting people to actually listen to and follow their music. The report found that two-thirds of emerging electronic artists consider growing an online audience and dedicated fan base to be a huge challenge. Things like understanding social media algorithms and effectively promoting new song releases are majorly difficult for 88% of the artists surveyed.

Trying to make a living solely through their music is pretty much impossible for most. A whopping 76% of artists said their career in electronic music is currently not financially sustainable. To pay the bills, 82% of the artists have to work other side jobs completely unrelated to music, with over half having to work full-time.

The self-doubt struggles are incredibly real. Over half of artists often feel lots of pressure to succeed and find themselves constantly comparing their careers to others in the industry. Two-fifths frequently grapple with maintaining self-confidence, dealing with failures, and balancing their personal/professional lives. Though many try to use failures as learning experiences and lean on close supporters.

Lack of connections in the Industry is also another reason artists feel this way. Having a strong professional network of contacts and connections in the music industry is crucial, but most electronic artists lack this. Only 2% of those surveyed said they have a really strong network, while most said geographical challenges and balancing outside work makes networking extremely difficult.

The report is a great study on artists trying to make it and understanding the challenges that come along their way. Check out the complete report here.