Career Explorer Arts, media and sport
Human edge, steady
Musicians and singers
Play one or more musical instruments or sing. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for sound or video recording.
In the middle of the pack: more resilient than 55% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +0.3% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on creative vision.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- Not published
- Job growth to 2035
- +0.3%
- Openings a year
- 17,400
- People doing it (2025)
- 170,000
- Usual route in
- No formal credential, then long on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Study details of artistic productions
- Perform athletic activities for fitness, competition, or artistic purposes
- Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Present arts or entertainment performances
- Train others on operational or work procedures
- Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures
What the work looks like
- Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
- Practice performances, individually or in rehearsal with other musicians, to master individual pieces of music or to maintain and improve skills.
- Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
- Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
- Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmersHuman edge, steady, Index 72, +2.7%
- Costume attendantsHuman edge, growing, Index 90, +5.9%
- DancersHuman edge, steady, Index 76, +2.2%
- Craft artistsChanging shape, Index 60, +2.0%
Also known as: Musician, Orchestra Musician, Singer, Violinist, Chorister, Drummer, Opera Singer, Percussionist.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.