Musicians and Singers
Also called: Accompanist, Bandperson, Bass Player, Bassoonist, Bugler, Bull Fiddle Player, Calliope Player, Cantor
Play one or more musical instruments or sing.
What musicians and singers do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- Provide the musical background for live shows, such as ballets, operas, musical theatre, and cabarets.
- Play from memory or by following scores.
- Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals.
- Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.
- Listen to recordings to master pieces or to maintain and improve skills.
- Make or participate in recordings.
- Make or participate in recordings in music studios.
- Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Musicians and Singers salary
No pay statistics are available for this occupation yet.
Projected pay for Musicians and Singers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
No projection yet because pay statistics are missing.
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Musicians and Singers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Musicians and Singers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Musicians and Singers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Musicians and Singers United States | オーケストラ奏者（団員） Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | — | ¥5.44M ≈ $34,593 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | — | ¥7.16M |
| Outlook score | 63 | 40 |
| AI replacement risk | 30% Low | — |
| Workers | 36K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Musicians and Singers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become musicians and singers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as musicians and singers
Career-path guidance is being prepared.