People have always had an innate attraction to music, making a career path in the music industry a highly sought after place to be. While many connect a music career to being a famous artist, music production has gained a lot of traction over the past years. Music production is a hobby for many, but can be a well-paying job if you are extremely talented. But for most producers, it is not about the pay. They simply enjoy what they are doing and the money that comes with it. Many people think producers have a very low average salary, including senior Claire Nikong, who said, “I would think they probably earn around $25,000 a year.” However, according to Payscale, the average salary for producers in the United States is about $50,000 yearly. As the field of music production expands and creates a greater diversity in career choice, many people are realizing the potential in the field. Sophomore Aidan Howard says, “I understand the multitude of career paths you can take, and it makes me interested to see where the craft will go in the future.” People like Howard are jumping on the train to explore music production as it becomes an increasingly popular topic.

With the explosion of hip-hop, the image of music producers has been glorified, making the craft popular in the hip-hop scene. Practically everybody who listens to this type of music has an interest in the beat of these hip-hop songs and how they are made. Top hip-hop music producers include the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, Murda Beatz, Mike Dean and Tay Keith, who all have far more fame than the majority of others practicing the same craft. The job of music producers like these people, is to oversee the recording of a track and manage the sounds behind the scenes, making it a creative outlook for these people. Being a music producer as opposed to an artist, one is not exposed to the spotlight nearly as much. Some people find this a positive thing but some seek the fame. Freshman Charles Short says, “I would enjoy to take the responsibility of a music producer and avoid the incessant fame, which isn’t as easy to come by when you’re behind the scenes perfecting an artist’s work.”

In order to pursue a music producing career, you must have certain abilities to be able to sell a piece of work. For example, some people believe that you must have prior musical skill or an inherent musical talent. Junior Nihal Sathi believes, “a producer needs to have a good ear for music and be able to create something distinguishable for a certain audience.” As the music production industry continues to grow, many creative minds will seek careers in the field, and it will undoubtedly become a huge opportunity as a job option.