By Tess Creasy
Happy August! It’s National Wellness Month – a time to prioritize self-care, evaluate stressors and how we manage them, and take a closer look at our comprehensive well-being. Almost every field of work has its downsides when it comes to mental health, and the music industry is no exception. Music industry professionals of all kinds – artists, gig workers, publicists, agents, venue operators, and others – face a variety of unique battles due to the high-pressure nature of entertainment.
It’s no secret that addiction is a rampant issue in the music industry. Its workers are a particularly vulnerable group for a number of reasons: the need to cope with emotions of high-pressure work, the desire to assimilate with others in the industry, and the creative spark that can come from using substances (American Addiction Centers). In addition, easy access and a long-lived industry culture contributes to the relationship between alcohol, drugs and music.
Long and late hours, along with hectic tour schedules, are surely not conducive to good mental health either. Limited time with family and friends can be hard on musicians and other industry workers. On top of that, many artists are pressured to be active online as a way to promote their work. Halsey, Charli XCX, and Charlie Puth have each publicly discussed a push from their labels to create TikToks. As we all know, social media is not always the most welcoming nor healthy place to be. No doubt it is an incredible tool for outreach, but as artists rely on it more and more they may experience a disconnect from those truly supporting their work.
Financial stress also has a notable impact on mental health. A 2024 study conducted by MusiCares (a charity founded by the Recording Academy) found that 69% said they are “unable to comfortably cover expenses through their work in music alone.” The stress of insufficient and/or unstable income can certainly have an impact on one’s mental well-being, including being stretched too thin when forced to work multiple jobs to pay the bills. Not only that, but insufficient income also means an inability to access counseling and other mental health services.
Hence why Keep The Beat was created. Keep the Beat is a program founded by The Hall to support musicians and industry workers as they navigate their complicated and often extreme workload. The program offers up to $1,000 of mental health and/or addiction counseling for members of Colorado’s music industry.
Case management support and referrals are handled by our partners, Backline and Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Backline has helped an astounding 2,300 individuals gain access to custom care plans, and is affiliated with over 1,400 care providers across all 50 states. Sweet Relief Musicians Fund – founded in 1994 by singer-songwriter Victoria Williams – provides grants for medical care, housing, disability care, and mental health counseling. Both are focused on connecting people with providers specially trained to help musicians and their industry. This means better support from people familiar with the complexities of the music industry.
Mental health care is beyond important for anyone and everyone – musicians included. Our hope is that Keep the Beat relieves the stress of finding and funding this crucial care. To find out if you’re eligible, CLICK HERE