We surveyed 1,116 music artists to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical music artist. Here are the results.

How much intelligence is required as a music artist?

Low

High

Working as a music artist typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.

Can I learn to become a music artist?

Intrinsic Talent

Acquired Talent

A career as a music artist typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.

Is it easy to get a job as a music artist?

Easy

Hard

It’s typically quite difficult to find a job as a music artist. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for music artists.

Info

Do music artists work full-time or part-time?

38% of music artists work in full-time roles while 62% work part-time.

Is being a music artist stressful?

Low

High

Music artists tend not to find their jobs stressful, which likely contributes positively to career satisfaction.

Is being organized important as a music artist?

Low

High

Organization is not considered a particuarly important part of being a music artist.

How competitive is the workplace for music artists?

Low

High

Music artists tend to see lots of competition in the workplace, with desire to get ahead of co-workers being common.

Does being a music artist require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?

Low

High

Music artists will have to sometimes face time pressure on the job.

Are music artists allowed to express themselves creatively?

Low

High

Creativity is intrinsic to being a music artist, and a highly valuable part of the career.

Do music artists have control over the direction of their work?

Low

High

Music artists have high flexibility in the direction of their work, allowing them a lot of freedom in how they accomplish their goals.

Is being a music artist physically demanding?

Low

High

Being a music artist may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.

Are music artists exposed to a wide variety of work?

Low

High

While sometimes repetitive, music artists tend to have opportunities for variety in their work.

Does being a music artist require attention to detail?

Low

High

Attention to detail isn't necessarily required to be successful as a music artist.

Does being a good music artist require compassion and empathy?

Low

High

Being compassionate and empathetic is considered helpful to those looking to pursue careers as music artists.