Locations

London

UCAS code

N/A

Start date

15th September 2025

Course length

1 Year (2 years Part-time)

COURSE OVERVIEW

The MA in Music Business is an immersion into the global music ecosystem, offering artists, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to delve into critical industry debates around the societal, cultural, and environmental impacts of the business of music.  

The programme equips you with the skills required to capitalise on ethical data-driven decision-making, examine the nuances of the exploitation of intellectual property, cultivate strategic acumen and a growth mindset, and emerge with a distinct competitive edge in the global music market. 

Whether you're planning to found a music startup, supercharge your growth as an artist or lead the effort to tackle intricate industry challenges, this forward-looking, multidisciplinary music business masters programme is designed to boost your career to the next level.  

Led by a cast of inspiring experts and specialists at the forefront of their careers, you’ll collaborate with powerful new connections and unlock up-to-the-minute insights on every facet of the industry – from the latest tools, techniques and technologies, to the most cutting-edge concepts and forecasts of future practices. 

This course is supported by our industry partners:

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In order to deliver a truly broad and diverse exploration of the industry, the course is designed to immerse students in each sector of the music business. Through these versatile and highly interactive modules, you’ll gain a rich understanding of the laws and customs that govern this complex world, navigating topics such as rights management, contractual frameworks and the latest trends such as the ‘financialisation’ of music. Employing data analysis to unlock the secrets of marketing, strategy and customer-experience optimisation, you’ll become fluent in tactical decision-making and consumer behaviour.

You’ll also navigate the sphere of entrepreneurship, examining the critical role of specialised startups and freelance project-based employment in the music industry. And, from global political and cultural discourse, to debates around current issues such as carbon-neutral touring, artist empowerment and caring for talent, you’ll examine the ever-changing and symbiotic relationship between live and recorded music – using predictive modelling to justify talent acquisition and explore the roles of augmented reality and virtual events in the future of music consumption.

With support and input from your project mentor as well as prominent industry figures, business communities and external guides, your highly personalised final project will encompass real solutions to contemporary industry challenges – reflecting the advanced knowledge, skills and insights you’ll have gained through an exciting year of study, discourse and practical application.

With a strong focus on your own personal and professional goals, this MA in Music Business gives you the platform to hone your craft, amplify your knowledge and diversify your approach. By the end of the course, you’ll have mastered the agility, strategic thinking and intuition you need to maintain a competitive advantage in the ever-evolving world of music.

Financial Support

Student support for postgraduate music masters courses is available to students studying at ICMP.

Eligible students on designated masters courses at ICMP will be able to access the postgraduate masters loan in the same way, and at the same value, as they could at a publicly funded provider. Individuals will be able to borrow up to £12,471. If you opt to study part-time, your loan would be split into two instalments over the two years of study. 

Course Fees | Programme Specification | Programme Handbook

Click to view the full terms and conditions of applying to study at ICMP.

ICMP Music School Logo

Successful completion of the MA Music Business course leads to the award of a Masters Degree by The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance.

 

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Key facts

  • Gain a deep understanding of each facet of the music business industry – from its cultural and economical impacts to its future challenges and opportunities.
  • Enrich your knowledge of industry-specific language, concepts and theories to make significant contributions to current debates and discourse.
  • Make critical connections with key industry players and specialists at the forefront of their careers.
  • Enhance your appreciation for the part each role in the industry has to play – from artists and managers to executives and entrepreneurs.
  • Explore the fascinating sector of music law, gathering real-world insights from professional practitioners.
  • Culminate your exciting year with an industry-standard final project, tailored completely to your own personal and professional goals.
  • Connections with the wider London music industry enable you to build an impressive professional network.
  • Offered as one-year full-time or two-year part-time study (UK students only).

UCAS CODES

Course Ambassador
seven_webster_joins_icmp_2021_0

Seven Webster

Music industry pioneer Seven Webster is the ambassador for this course.

 

His management company has launched the careers of numerous top 40 artists and DJs over the last 30 years, including superstar DJs Sasha, John Digweed and Carl Cox and multi-million selling Dido and rock band Skindred.

 

While running his Management company, Seven has also acted as a freelance consultant for number of high profile artists and businesses that have included the likes of EMI Records , Drive Thru Records , Avex Records , Robbie Williams , New Found Glory , DZ Deathrayz , Trade Queensland , Arts Queensland & Thompson Holidays .

COURSE DETAILS

COURSE DETAILS

In this dynamic and comprehensive one-year programme, you’ll master the skills, strategies and insider knowledge you need to forge a sustainable career in the world of music business. Developing key connections with prominent experts and specialists, you’ll enrich your understanding of the industry’s key challenges and opportunities through an immersive blend of practical and theoretical learning – leading you to graduate as an intuitive, influential key player in your chosen field.

Rights Management & Future Revenue Streams

The way audiences consume music is changing and expanding at a faster rate than ever before – leading to new challenges and opportunities in regards to rights management, revenue streams and legal implications.

In this module, you’ll explore how the industry deals with issues relating to intellectual property, reputation, image, contractual frameworks and more, as well as the nature of revenue streams like merchandising, sponsorships and brand deals. You’ll come away with a comprehensive understanding of the financialisation of music, able to lend significant insights into the latest trends, debates and discussions around rights and revenue.

The Recorded & Live Music Ecosystem

A fascinating deep-dive of the music industry’s ever-evolving infrastructure, this module examines the dynamic relationship between two core subsectors – live and recorded music. You’ll begin with critical analysis of current business models and working practises in the UK, as well as the global scene, before moving on to explore the wider political and cultural discourse across the commercial spectrum.

Through discussions around ethical decision-making, artist empowerment, carbon-neutral touring and more, you’ll examine the latest advances in technology, changing cultural and political norms, and ways in which industry roles are shifting to become a forward-thinking, innovative leader in the fast-paced music landscape.

Music Business Entrepreneurship & Finance

Through this module you’ll master the core competencies, personal attributes and entrepreneurial skills you need to become a highly intuitive and competitive key player in your chosen field. Supported by industry professionals and experts, you’ll gain specialised insights and techniques to apply to business modelling, planning, financial management and more, putting you at a significant advantage whether you’re developing a business idea or solving a complex industry challenge.

You’ll take learnings from specific decision-making approaches and ethical frameworks, analyse the attributes of prominent innovative thinkers in the sector, and learn how to leverage business intelligence in order to maximise the potential of your ideas.

Marketing, Accessing & Distributing Music

Shifts in consumer habits, new music discovery and data-analysis capabilities have transformed music marketing – and in order to engage communities, develop successful campaigns and optimise customer experiences, today’s marketers must stay on the pulse of innovation.

This module will give you the critical knowledge of marketing philosophies, strategies and approaches you need to cut through the noise in heavily saturated markets, putting professional tools and cutting-edge techniques at your fingertips to help you become fluent in tactical marketing decision-making. You’ll learn how to plan and support a product release, analyse data to inform your strategies, utilise your insights into the design of global music brands and build awareness through storytelling – setting you apart as an imaginative, intuitive marketing force.

Music Business Final Project

With a strong focus on your own personal and professional goals, your final project will consolidate the knowledge, skills and insights you’ve gained throughout the course, culminating in a professional, industry-standard project relevant to your career objectives.

Incorporating a range of relevant theories, frameworks and strategies gathered across the programme, you’ll work closely with your project mentor – as well as a range of industry guests and external coaches – to produce a highly innovative piece of work which offers a solution to a challenge or issue impacting the industry today.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants will normally have a good Honours degree (upper second or first) or equivalent, or comparable professional or research experience. We welcome applicants from all academic backgrounds.

ICMP also welcomes applications from established practitioners who are keen to undertake study at the postgraduate level but may not possess the required qualifications. These students may be given credit for their prior study or experience.

International: English language requirement – minimum level B2 of the CEFR. For more information visit this website.

Please note: International students, who require a visa to study in the UK, are only eligible to study on this course full-time.

When completing the full application form for the MA in Music Business course, please be aware that you will be required to submit a personal statement.

Additionally, you’ll be asked to attend an interview. Further documentation or evidence in support of your application may be required in certain cases.

UCAS code N/A

HOW TO APPLY

 Please apply via the "APPLY NOW" link below.

At any time during the application process if you need help or further advice just contact our Admissions team who will be happy to assist you. 



By phone:
020 7328 0222

By email:
enquiries@icmp.ac.uk

or

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