hi everyone. I was searching for music business universities and then Belmont showed up as the top few programs in the US. I’ve noticed that some rankings even put Belmont in the first place better than USC and Berklee. I’ve never heard of this school before so I did some researches. It turns out that Belmont’s acceptance rate is 81% and the school itself ranked 166 in the nation. It seems like these number doesn’t match each other and they don’t make sense. So I’m wondering is the music business major at Belmont really placed at the top few and is it really credited in the music industry?
Belmont has a good music business program and its location in Nashville is obviously helpful for graduates seeking jobs. One sees a good representation of Belmont grads in the music business, especially among performers. Their music business and film programs are popular and attract a lot of kids from all over the country. It’s my impression that they are more vocational in nature, if that’s what you’re looking for.
However, the business of music is in flux and there are many more graduates than there are jobs for them. Covid-19 has thrown a wrench into the works as well, and has likely changed the dynamics of touring, which has been one of music industry’s few bright spots.
A straight business or accounting degree from a highly ranked school would be just as valuable for top positions in many entertainment firms and would give you more flexibility upon graduation. I was at a party a couple of years ago and met a nice young man who was in top management of a Nashville music publishing firm. He had a degree from Princeton, and his father was an entertainment lawyer who played in a well known 1970’s rock band. Most top creative, music engineering, and production jobs in Nashville, for example, are filled by gifted individuals who came up through the ranks, most without college degrees. NYC and LA are similar. It’s a small business, and connections and talent matter a lot.
I hope this helps.
Cannot speak to any details of that major at Belmont. I know one young person (very talented singer) with that degree. She landed an internship with an extraordinarily famous country singer (feel I shouldn’t reveal who) and is now working in the industry as a booking agent. I know she really liked it there, but can’t speak either to her difficulties in getting her current job.
My son is a songwriting major and music business minor at Belmont. It is a liberal arts school with the usual core curriculum. So I would not call it vocational. You can take a simple music business track or get a full business admin degree. I think it stands on top because of the legitimate connections to the music community. Many faculty members are active part of Nashville music scene and bring real world experience and connections. They have internships in Nashville, California, and New York in addition to study abroad. They placement in the first 6 months is really high and with decent salaries. My impression is that it’s legit. Many people express concern about it being a Christian university but more then 50 percent of students are going there because of the music. They are not attending due to the religion. With that said my son is Christian and though liberal. He does not believe that the community is very religious. Students at Belmont are doing everything that students are doing at other schools. It does seem To be a more supportive environment the. Some other schools.
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My S20 was accepted to the music business program at Belmont. Apparently it’s highly rated. I’ve heard it’s a beautiful campus. The other top program he looked at was Syracuse. I think it’s called the Bandier program. Look at the bios of the kids in that program. We also accidentally got info about Berklee. We were in Boston visiting other schools and we struck up a conversation with a man that teaches at Berklee. Had nice things to say. Boston is a fantastic college city.
He decided to go another direction with business. I think he liked the idea of being in the music business until he saw some of the bios of the kids that get into these top programs. They typically have a passion for music as some type of performer as well as the business side. He’s not musically inclined. I’m not saying it’s a prerequisite but you could tell these kids LOVED music.
I’ll put one on the record here for future searches. My son had Mark Volman as his Intro to Music Business prof. (Flo and Eddie, the Turtles, Mothers on Invention)
Its as well connected of a program as you’ll get anywhere. And you will pay for those connections, Its a great experience if you have the means.
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jacole, I was surfing Belmont forums and came upon your post and it is very insightful.
My daughter is considering Belmont so I’m looking for this sort of information! Thank you for posting.
I was glad to find this thread, and will add to it in hopes maybe it will continue for people like me who are on the fence about the school. It is very difficult to find much information on Belmont since it is somewhat of a niche school (primarily music/music business), and because it is small. My DD is there right now with my husband. She really likes the vibe and said that everyone is very friendly. I was concerned that it might be too conservative for her, but she said she didn’t get that impression (at least not in the 6 or so hours she was on campus). They clearly put their best foot forward for the admitted students event. My husband was very impressed (and he is not easily impressed). I have been searching for information since I have the same concerns as the OP regarding the high admissions rate (and the low graduation rate). I also wonder about the reputation for a predominantly caucasian/wealthy student body. I think my daughter would like a little more diversity, but its probably not a deal breaker for her. The school is highly rated for music business, but its overall ratings (for example, on Niche) are just average. I think the atmosphere will be great for my DD, but I just want to be sure she will truly be getting a good education and will feel challenged. I am thinking that the high acceptance rate might be a reflection of the school only attracting a certain type of applicant (musical/artsy/looking for a small school), rather than the quality of the school and education. I also know that it isn’t unusual in the music industry for students to leave before graduation due to being offered something they can’t refuse, so maybe the low graduation rate is because of that. I would love to see more people with experience at Belmont add to this thread to offer some insight! All I can really say is that my DD got a great vibe from the school, and they said the campus is beautiful (and the surrounding areas full of things to do). We are still waiting to hear from Northeastern and Wake Forest (both reaches), and Berklee (audition is pending), but Belmont has moved up the ranks among the schools she has heard from so far.
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Wondering if you might still be around, and if your daughter ended up at Belmont - if so, wold love to get your thoughts on it.
I would love more insight to Belmont as well! I have encouraged my S23 to consider it, campus looks amazing, programs interesting, and being in Nashville seems like it would be so fun. I would love to hear some personal experiences.
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I wish I could find more, but the campus visit was very appealing. My husband said it was absolutely beautiful, inside and out. He was telling me that almost every building he walked into was pretty incredible, and the new theatre was mind blowing. They really put his mind at ease about the program (especially the part about actually getting a real business degree). It’s definitely a great area for kids who love music! They have had a lot of fun exploring, and he said he would really be comfortable (and happy) if she chose to go there. Kind of a strange observation, but given the acceptance rate, I was surprised that my daughter wasn’t offered honors at first. It could be one of three things (all of which are perfectly OK with me). 1) I read that for the honors program, you need to apply by December 1, which she did not (I am not 100% sure of that is true). 2) It could also be that she isn’t in the top 10-15% or whatever that they offer it to, or 3) she just doesn’t fit whatever other criteria they are looking for. Her GPA is well above the 3.5 I read that they need to be considered, but I am sure there is more to it than GPA. Oddly, this almost puts my mind at ease, thinking that there are plenty of bright kids interested in Belmont.
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