LET’S TALK ABOUT MONEY
“I wanna work in the music industry to get rich”…said no one ever.
We all know this industry doesn’t pay as well as some others, like tech or finance.
But we stay because we love the music, the artists, the community. That passion has always been the pull.
That said, it is possible to make money in music, but it’s a slog and can be a long road.
One that’s even harder for women in music.
We stay for the music. But loving what you do shouldn’t come at the cost of being paid fairly. Here’s what the gender pay gap still looks like…
So, what’s the reality?
In the UK, any employer with 250 or more employees is legally required to publish gender pay gap data each year under the Equality Act 2010 Regulations.
🔍 Before we dive in to the stats from 2024, what’s the difference between mean and median?
Good question.
· Mean (average) pay gap adds up everyone’s hourly pay and divides it by the number of employees. It’s often skewed by very high earners at the top, who are typically still men.
· Median means looking at the man and the woman who are smack in the middle of the pay ladder - not the highest or lowest earners. It’s less affected by big CEO salaries, so it gives a better sense of what most people in the company actually earn.
Both are important.
The mean highlights inequality at the top.
The median reflects typical day-to-day pay.
Here’s what some of the major players in UK music reported for 2024:
The UK numbers speak for themselves.
But this isn’t just a UK problem.
Whether you’re in the EU or the U.S., the gender pay gap is still alive and well.
“Money, money, money… must be funny… in the rich man’s world.” — ABBA
Still funny?
Not when women in music are being paid less for doing the same job.
Not when equal pay, equity, and inclusion are still just buzzwords in too many boardrooms.
This is about the systemic gap, where men dominate the higher-paid leadership roles and women are underrepresented at the top.
84% of the most senior roles in music are still held by white men.
That’s not just a gap. That’s a power problem.
And it’s one of the reasons I became a coach for women in music, because this needs to change.
It’s also why I list my coaching prices on my website and socials, because I believe in transparency.
It goes against most coaching industry norms or advice, but I do it with intention:
To normalise conversations about money.
To help women to stop whispering about salaries and start owning their worth.
That’s also why I ask about salary in my intake form.
I know that can feel uncomfortable.
Many of the women I coach haven’t told anyone what they earn.
Some feel embarrassed.
Some feel like they should just be grateful to have a job still, in an ever shrinking and competitive industry.
But I’ve been there.
When I started out in music as an intern for a major record label, I earned £10,000 a year.
That’s about €11,500 or $12,800.
I already had huge student loan debt.
I was broke!
I didn’t have a trust fund, no connections - just grit.
Unless you’re one of the industry’s many nepo babies, those early years are brutal.
And when you start from such a low salary, it’s incredibly hard to increase that significantly in the years that follow.
That’s why I care so deeply about the women I coach now.
Many of them are in their 30s or 40s.
They’ve worked hard, earned respect, and are stepping into leadership.
But they’re still dealing with the ripple effects of being undervalued early on.
And now, they’re ready to change that story - for good.
And I’ve helped them do exactly that.
💥 Coaching Women Through Big Money Moments
Leaving toxic long-term jobs for better-paid roles where they’re valued
Asking for long-overdue raises - and getting them
Pushing back on restrictive contract clauses in return for fairer compensation
Rebuilding confidence after layoffs and landing brilliant new jobs
As one client, Trisha put it:
“I’m excited to have accepted an offer for an amazing new role, and I wouldn’t have been able to if it wasn’t for the coaching I did with Sarah.”
I often get asked for advice on how to negotiate salaries.
I’m not a consultant, I won’t write your pitch.
But I will help you challenge the stories that are holding you back, get clear on what you want, and build the confidence to ask for it.
There’s plenty of negotiation advice out there.
But until you believe you’re worth more, it’s hard to say the words out loud.
So let me be clear:
👉🏽 The gender pay gap is not your fault.
It’s not about how well women negotiate.
It’s about an industry that still operates like a boys’ club - where key opportunities, leadership roles, and real money still go to men.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t take one of those seats at the table.
Let’s talk about money.
What you earn, what you want, and what you’re no longer willing to tolerate.
You don’t need to stay small.
You don’t need to wait for permission.
You can take control of your story, your salary, and your next step.
If you want support to navigate the next step in your career; whether it’s asking for more, stepping into leadership, or walking away from what’s no longer working - I’m here.
Book a free exploration session here and let’s talk about working together.
Your music industry coach,
Sarah
