WaterBear Sheffield announces music business degree in collaboration with Ditto Music

The innovative new partnership will give the college’s music business degree students access to unrivalled opportunities and knowledge for those wanting to dive into the music business. UK Music reported that in 2021 the music industry contributed £4 billion to the UK economy, and due to the era of streaming music this figure is set to rise. According to Music Week in 2022 the music market surpassed 150 billion streams in the UK, over twice as many as 5 years ago.

Through the partnership with Ditto, from September 2023, students who undertake the BA (Hons) Professional Music Business Degree will benefit from guest lectures, personalised module resources and real-time industry insights. Students will also gain an invaluable understanding of how to release music into the world in the digital age of the music industry.

The degree has been designed for music entrepreneurs as well as musicians, songwriters and producers who want to explore areas such as music publishing, marketing, label management, artist management, music education, events, tour management, and journalism. Focussing on music industry past and present, case-studies, market analysis, management techniques, branding, innovation, industry trends and project management students will be armed with the tools and knowledge to navigate their own path through the industry to realise their professional ambition and personal goals.

Sam Wilce, Partnership Manager at Ditto Music said: “We are excited to announce our partnership with WaterBear. This course will provide students with invaluable industry insights, personalised guidance in how to release music into the world and build strategies, whether you are a business entrepreneur, songwriter or DJ this will be your ticket to a career in music.”

Ditto Music is one of the world's leading music distribution, record label services and artist management companies, supporting over 950,000 independent artists and labels worldwide. Providing support to independent musicians since 2005, Ditto offers distribution to all major music stores, including Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok. With offices across the globe, from Liverpool to Melbourne, they are well positioned to identify opportunities for independent artists and keep abreast of developments within the music industry across the world.

Eve Massaad, Director of Marketing at WaterBear said:“Our collaboration with Ditto Music further strengthens our objective of teaching from inside the music industry and championing independent artists to ensure the next generation of music industry professionals can benefit from the many possibilities and opportunities within this hugely complex and competitive business environment. Ditto Music is at the cutting edge of the industry, and we are super excited to have them partner with us to provide this invaluable opportunity for our students.”

Those interested in applying to study a BA (Hons) Professional Music Business Degree at WaterBear in Brighton or Sheffield can apply using the link below. The three-year, full-time degree is set to kick off in September 2023.

BA (Hons) Professional Music Business: https://waterbear.org.uk/courses/ba-hons-professional-music-business/

Ditto Music: https://dittomusic.com/en/