Suicide rates show music industry 'inherently dangerous place to work'

The music industry is an "inherently dangerous place to work" due to high levels of suicide among musicians, new research from Goldsmiths has found.

In the first paper of its kind to gather global data on routine mortality rates of musicians, the researchers from Goldsmiths and Emory Medical School Georgia, USA identified the risk factors linked to high suicide levels among musicians and argue that clinically-proven zero tolerance approaches used to reduce high rates of suicides in other occupations could result in significant reductions in musician suicide rates.

The research co-authored by Goldsmiths' Dr George Musgrave comes amid increasing concerns for better understanding of the mental health and well-being of musicians, highlighted by the recent death of Liam Payne and to move beyond the unhelpful and potentially harmful romanticisation of suicide among this group.

The evidence of suicide rates among musicians is stark, with mortality data for England revealing that musicians were among the top five occupational groups with the highest suicide rate. 

Within occupations categorised as "culture, media and sport", musicians were placed in the highest suicide risk group, with overall suicide rates for males being 20% higher than the average for males and 69% higher than the average for females.

Similarly, data from the United States showed that occupational groups in "arts, design, entertainment, sports and media" – which includes musicians – had the highest female suicide rate of all occupational groups as recently as 2021. Female musicians had the highest suicide rate of all occupational groups with men having the third highest rate.

Dr Musgrave said: “When we look at routine mortality data we can clearly see that musicians are an at risk group for suicide. They’re in fact in the top five at risk occupational groups for suicide in England, alongside agricultural and construction worker.

“The ONS data also shows that musicians, actors and entertainers are the highest risk occupational group within the broader occupational category of culture media and sport. Within that category men have a 20% increased risk of suicide compared to the general public while women have a 69% increased risk. This data should make us all stop and reflect on what is happening in an industry that has a risk of suicide as high as this.

“Likewise when you look at national data from the United States we see that musicians and other artistic workers have the third highest suicide rate compared to all occupations. When looked at by gender the statistics are truly alarming. Musicians as part of the broader category of art, entertainment and media, had the highest female suicide rate of all occupations in the USA in 2012, 2015, and 2021.

“Alongside UK data for female suicide this is painting a very alarming picture.”

The review article published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health also identifies risk factors that explain the elevated incidence of musician suicide and that can form the basis to prevent them. Being female is uppermost among the risks of suicide (relative to females in the general public), along with occupational stress associated with the role and  elevated incidents of mental health -anxiety and depression – which together with substance use and abuse make musicians vulnerable.

Dr Musgrave said: “When you look at the mortality data in the US and UK, women are demonstrably at risk of suicide compared to women in the general public.

"Alongside this, there are occupational stresses that musicians face – profound emotional precarity, vulnerability to exposure on social media, travelling and touring and the emotional strain that can place on them, and investing their lives and identity in a precarious dream. Along with elevated instances of mental ill health – with levels of anxiety and depression – together with substance use and abuse, we can see why musicians are so at risk of suicide.”

The issue of high suicide rates among musicians is not limited to the US and UK, the researchers claim. The research also explored high-profile suicides of K Pop idols in Korea, examining the dynamics of the Korean music industry and wider society to explain these trends.

“Korea has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world and, while there is no evidence to suggest that musicians may be more at risk then Koreans generally, what we can see are a number of risk factors that they may be experiencing. Some of these risks are related to socially prescribed perfectionism and the way in which this societal challenge manifests itself in the music industry, placing unimaginable strains on these musicians.”

The zero-suicide approach advocated by the researchers has bought about significant reductions in high suicide rates in other occupational groups. The framework is made up of seven components – relating to administration and leadership – and four covering clinical actions.

The clinical components include identifying the risk factors that are unique to musicians and engaging them in the suicide risk assessment process and safety planning, while on treatment ensuring that evidence based interventions  are available to them which target suicide specifically. As musicians are often on tour and away from family and friends, transitioning – incorporating tele health strategies so they can meet with mental health providers on a regular basis and get necessary medication ensuring that their providers are connected and they have access to them while on tour – is especially relevant for musicians.

Study co-author Dr Dorian Lamis, Associate Professor at the School of Medicine, Emory University, United States, said:

“There is substantial evidence that the zero suicide approach is effective in reducing suicide among a variety of populations. One example of this is the New York Office of Mental Health. Over 18 months of implementing this approach suicides decreased by 75%. By  incorporating the zero suicide approach among musicians and the music industry suicides will decrease and mental health outcomes will  be improved. We really need to start training our workforce in these evidence based interventions and also evaluating their effectiveness to determine what works in preventing suicide among musicians.

“Suicide is a significant public health concern among musicians that has not been sufficiently addressed. We hope that by publishing this paper we bring attention to the serious problem and improve the mental health and lives of musicians, preventing suicide in this vulnerable population.”

Dr Musgrave concluded: "What we have done for far too long is tolerate early mortality and suicide risk among musicians. We’ve done that as a society because musicians have been represented as being inherently tortured, as suffering for their art. This has got to stop. We can see routine mortality data showing musicians to be at risk of suicide and we have the tools at our disposal to do something about that. The time for action and making the music industry a safer place is now.”