Does Age Matter in the Music Industry?

This question is one that comes to my inbox at least once a week - do older musicians have a chance of breaking into the music industry? Of course, we know it is possible for people to grow older IN the industry, but do you have a chance of promoting and selling your music as a new artist if you are say, over 50? Over 60?

I think genre makes a big difference in the answer to this question. Pop music is a difficult genre for older musicians. To a certain extent, hip hop has a problem with age as well - even for those who have been in the genre since they were younger. Other genres of music tend to care less. World music, country, folk, jazz - these genres in particular can be welcoming to older musicians. That doesn't mean that there aren't still obstacles, but there comes a time when you have a better chance of being Emmylou Harris than Britney Spears.

Besides genre, what other issues do you think older musicians face? What can older musicians do to get around these problems? Share your thoughts about age and the music industry.

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