On Riding the “Wannabe Journalist to Industry Professional” Pipeline

hey you! yes you! it’s time to put the pen to paper :)

Written by Cece Faulkner — Press & Strategic Partnerships Rep at °1824 - Universal Music Group.

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I’m a firm believer in the notion that the best things happen when you least expect them to. For me, that ‘thing’ was the music industry.

I’m an equally firm believer in the idea that music journalism is one of the BEST ways to get involved in the creative side of this industry, and I tell that to anyone who will let me preach it!

In 2022, I started a blog called The Music Box. I wrote silly articles on my favorite artists, over-caffeinated ramblings about so-and-so’s new album, and interviewed any musician that would give me twenty minutes of their time. In the beginning, I truly had no intention of this becoming something bigger, but I fell in love with it so hard that I couldn’t picture myself in any other career.

In 2024, I saw this super cool post on Instagram about a Still Woozy press conference from an account called °1824 (wonder who that could be!) At the time, I had no idea what °1824 was, but I attended that conference and many more. My favorite memory was having the opportunity to ask Yung Gravy a question…Like duh, if this is what people in journalism get to do, of course I want to pursue it!

I kept attending, kept asking questions, and did my very best to make myself and my publication known. I had so much admiration for the team long before I ever became a part of it!

The °1824 team at 2025 invitationals.

So, you may be asking, why on earth is she claiming music journalism to be the best way to get into this industry??

Let me cook, okay?! Music journalism comes in so many shapes and sizes which means there’s truly something for everyone. If you are a journalist in this space or want to be one, here’s a rundown of the many options:

• Writing: Hit the keyboard! Find a publication to write for, or even create one of your own (Substack counts!) Some publications are also socials-only, so they post their writing to Instagram/TikTok/etc instead of a traditional website.

• Photography: Try out concert photography! Most publications also include pictures on their site, so if you’re already into it as a hobby, test the waters in the live music space.

• Content: Journalism isn’t always written, it can be spoken too! Think about it like news reports you see on TV. Experiment with making videos— talk about the concert you went to last week, post interview clips, or whatever else your heart desires.

• Curating: If you’re more of a fan of letting the songs speak for themselves, try playlist curating. Also great if you have a super specific idea that you’d rather turn into a playlist than an article!

These different modes of journalism allow there to be space for everyone’s creativity! Not only that, but those things can open the doors to jobs in places like Spotify, Rolling Stone, Big Hassle Media, and even °1824 / Universal Music Group.

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Okay noted, so where do I start?

• Assess your strengths: Where would I fit best? Journalism is such a unique and creative role to be in. Try out all the things listed above and see what you fall in love with!

• Find a publication (or make one!): The °1824 press team has the opportunity to work with so many amazing publications, and many are always looking for more people to add to their team! (My tip? Check out the ‘tagged’ tab on the °1824 Instagram account— our outlets tend to tag us in posts from conferences or tour press. That’s an awesome way to find one to write for!)

• Branch out your music taste: The heart of music journalism is, of course, the music itself. The more you open yourself to new genres, the more opportunities you have for writing, attending concerts, curating etc. Trying new things can create new inspiration!

So, from one wannabe journalist to another, yes there will be burnout. Yes there will be unpaid work. Yes, you’ll have to prove yourself. But those are the rites of passage into any job in any industry! Crash outs come with the territory :)

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To close this out, I’ll leave you with two of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since starting in the music industry.

Making yourself known really does matter, but not in the way that you might think. No, I’m not suggesting you blow up that person’s LinkedIn inbox or lie your way into a position. Showing up in subtle ways really does count for something. Like I said earlier— I attended every °1824 press conference I could to get my name out there in hopes that maybe someday I’d get to truly be on the team.

So, transform that idea into whatever part of this industry you want to work in. Make content about that one record label if you someday hope to work there. Show up at events put on by that one business or program you want to be a part of. Request an interview with that industry professional whose work you find astounding. There are always ways to tap in and make yourself known when the cold emails aren’t working!

Community is everything. Though the popularity of this career is rapidly growing, it still remains a relatively niche path to follow. Because of that, the people you meet along the way are so important. Every writer and publication I’ve worked with, every coworker and mentor I’ve had, and every friend and fellow industry professional I’ve spoken with are part of the reason I kept trying each time I came up empty. That connection and mutual encouragement has kept me going for the past few years, because without community, music would be nothing.

xoxo, Cece <3