Los Angeles is one of the most vibrant music scenes in the world, and it’s an excellent place to find a job in the music industry.
With an abundance of record labels, Web3 music startups, venues, and music organizations, the LA job market is one of the world's best.
Whether you're looking for an entry-level position in the music industry or an executive role, there are plenty of opportunities in LA.
Here are some tips on how to find music industry jobs in Los Angeles.
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How to Get a Job in the Music Industry in LA
Option 1: Look for jobs at music venues and clubs.
Trying to get your first job in the music business? Try working at a music venue or club!
The pay may not be great, but you’ll meet many bands and support staff. If you make the right impression, you could work your way into something bigger.
You probably won’t find job listings for many venues online. Small rock clubs barely have a social media presence, so don’t expect to job-hunt on LinkedIn.
Venues like Kulak’s Woodshed are always looking for volunteers to help run local shows and open mics. You can sign up to work in person.
Bigger venues sometimes use their websites to announce job openings or volunteer opportunities. Check back regularly, as these jobs are sometimes seasonal. Getting onto venue newsletters is also an excellent way to stay in the loop.
Go to shows around town and get to know the people who work there.
Some of the most popular local venues with job listings include:
⭐ The Hollywood Bowl
Since it opened in 1922, many famous musicians have played at the Hollywood Bowl, which is a historic music venue in Southern California. With its stunning outdoor setting and state-of-the-art acoustics, it continues to be a premier destination for live music events.
Work with The Hollywood Bowl: They hire staff to help guests at the shows and at the corporate level to produce and promote world-class events.
🎸 The Wiltern
The Wiltern is a historic music venue located in Los Angeles, California. It has a capacity of 1200 to 4000 people and hosts a variety of live shows and events throughout the year.
Work with The Wiltern: Through Live Nation, The Wiltern is usually hiring venue support staff and front-of-house positions. Work in security or guest services.
🌳 The Greek Theatre
The Greek Theatre is a world-famous outdoor music venue located in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. It’s been home to everyone from Radiohead to Frank Sinatra.
Work with The Greek Theatre: Help VIP guests have a good time or be a show runner to grab last minute gear or snacks. Most of this work is part time or seasonal.
📝 The Troubadour
The Troubadour is a legendary music venue located in West Hollywood, California. It has played an important role in the development of rock and roll and has hosted performances by many famous musicians, including Elton John, James Taylor, and Guns N' Roses.
Work with The Troubador: A truly local music venue, The Troubadour is usually hiring front-of-house, bartenders, and security staff. Sometimes they hire lighting and live sound positions.
Option 2: Join a music organization or non-profit.
Several music organizations in Los Angeles always seek talent to join and help out.
These groups help facilitate talks, fight for fair pay and workers’ rights, and foster the local music community.
Here are some of LA’s best music organizations, unions, and networking events:
💽 The Recording Academy
The Recording Academy's goals are to honor achievement in the recording arts and sciences, promote the health of the music industry, and guarantee that music will always be an enduring part of American culture.
Work with The Recording Academy: Check for job postings on The Recording Academy’s website regularly. They hire for both music internships and full-time positions.
🎼 American Federation of Musicians (Los Angeles)
The AFM47 chapter of the AFM musician union is alive and well in LA. They’re dedicated to fighting for fair wages and benefits for musicians. Volunteer to help organize or join their board of directors to help out.
Work with American Federation of Musicians: Often, the AFM union has openings on their board of directors. You can also volunteer to be part of their monthly meetings or to help organize event for members.
🏢 Los Angeles Music Center
The Music Center is one of the largest performing arts venues in the country and serves as a cultural hub for all of Los Angeles County. They need ushers, creative directors, booking agents, and more.
Work with LAMC: Between seasons, LAMC posts jobs for both managerial and entry-level positions. Sometimes internships are shared too.
🗣️ Harmony Project
The Harmony Project uses the transformative power of music to help underprivileged students overcome academic and social obstacles and gain entry to higher education.
Work with Harmony Project: Harmony Project is always on the lookout for artists who are interested in teaching in their school programs. From cello and viola instruction to general music classes, you’ll work with children aged 5 to 18 to develop their musical skills and appreciation. They offer full-time and part-time teaching positions throughout Los Angeles.
🎺 Los Angeles Jazz Society
Non-profit providing jazz music education and performance opportunities.
Work with the LA Jazz Society: Join this organization and attend monthly concerts and events to get to know other musicians and educators in town. LA Jazz Society also organizes jazz shows in public schools around the county.
🎨 Los Angeles Music & Art School
The Los Angeles Music and Art School (LAMusArt) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to provide equitable and affordable access to multidisciplinary arts education programs to the K-12 population of East Los Angeles.
Work with LAMusArt: LAMusArt is always looking for volunteers to help expand their cultural reach. From time to time they also look for executive leadership to join their board.
Why join a music organization?
Industry groups help the music community stay organized and aware of what’s going on around town.
Many of these organizations have events and networking opportunities that can help you connect with industry professionals and find job leads. That’s in addition to the work they do protecting songwriter rights and expanding music education.
Attending events is a great way to introduce yourself to industry professionals and create relationships that can help you find a job.
Option 3: Get a corporate music industry job.
If you're looking for a more corporate job in the music industry, Los Angeles is also home to a number of record labels, music publishers, and music distribution companies.
These companies are always looking for talented individuals to join their teams and help them share the best music possible with the world.
Major record labels hiring in LA
In general, major record labels are always hiring or accepting applications.
Indie record labels
Indie labels aren’t always hiring.
However, reaching out to their A&Rs or founders on LinkedIn or via email with an introduction email might lead somewhere. Check out their websites for job postings or opportunities to volunteer—maybe you can take show photos or help sell merch!
- Sargent House: Sargent House is a record label and artist management company based in Los Angeles, founded in 2006 by Cathy Pellow. The label specializes in heavy rock and experimental music. Sargent House has gained a reputation for supporting female-led projects and promoting diversity in the music industry.
Streaming and media companies hiring
- TikTok: Jobs related to managing music rights and licensing.
- Netflix: Licensing music for film and TV.
- SiriusXM: Music programming and licensing coordinators.
- Spotify: Global streaming platform needs help managing their catalog.
- Paramount: Clearing music for TV shows and films both in theaters on on streaming.
Digilogue
The Digilogue is a mix between music career hub, artist discovery network, and community space. In addition to hosting meetups and community events for musicians, they focus on curating a job board for the music business.
Get connected to top opportunities to work at record labels, publishers, and internships in Los Angeles and New York City. They send out a weekly email with new jobs. Or you can follow them on social media to get up to date job postings.
Option 4: Network with music industry professionals.
If you’re looking for a job in the music industry in Los Angeles, networking is key. Attending music industry events, joining music industry organizations, and reaching out to industry contacts can all help you find the right job.
How to network in the music industry in LA.
- Research: Follow artists and industry professionals on social media. Find out about shows they might be going to and ways they interact. Some A&Rs, for instance, have their own Discord servers to get demo feedback. Others post about networking events they’ll be attending or talks they’re giving.
- Networking events: Attend local music industry events and meet-ups. There are dozens of weekly shows, industry events, parties, and networking-focused meetups all around LA. Go out and say hello to other musicians!
- Join online communities: Join online communities such as Reddit and the newsletter here on LA Music to stay up to date with artist networking opportunities.
- Build relationships: Reach out to people in the industry! They’re not that scary. Build relationships over coffee dates and by supporting each others’ projects. The only way to build long-term success is by genuinely supporting the scene. Be kind and offer to help. We’re all in this together.
- Keep in touch: Make sure to follow up with the people you meet and keep in touch with them. This will help you stay connected and build trust.
Many of the major music conferences and festivals in Los Angeles are excellent places to meet industry contacts and learn more about the business.
Overall, Los Angeles is a great place to find a job in the music industry. With its abundance of music-related venues and organizations, as well as its proximity to major music-tech companies and streaming services, LA is a great place to find a job in the music industry.
Finding the perfect music business job can take time. But LA is the perfect city to do it! Good luck and happy job hunting!
FAQs About the Music Industry in LA
Is it hard to make a living in the music industry?
Yes, it can be tough to make a living in the music industry. But it’s not impossible.
Individual musicians can make money from playing live shows, writing songs for other artists, streaming their own music, selling merchandise, licensing songs to films, or even teaching vocal lessons or piano lessons.
For those who work in the industry-side, things are a little easier.
There are thousands of jobs managing and supporting artists, negotiating contracts, marketing new releases, creating video content for social media, booking shows, and working at rehearsal and recording studios.
Your ability to make a living in a creative industry will come down to who you know and how adaptable you are!