Investing in Mental Health Will Create a More Sustainable and Profitable Music Industry (Guest Column)

The issue of mental health in the music industry, and the roles labels, management and other companies can play in helping to keep artists healthy, has been a point of contention for many years. This guest post advocates strongly for a more involved and evolved role for the industry.

Dr. Aprilia West PsyD, MT, PCC is a licensed clinical psychologist, executive coach, trainer and author and a music industry veteran in private practice in Los Angeles. She has 20+ years of niche experience working with artists, creatives, teams, and leaders spanning the entertainment industry, tech, Fortune 500 companies, U.S. Members of Congress, and advocacy campaigns.

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David Andreone, MA, AMFT, is founder of ArtistServices Therapy in Culver City. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, where he held executive-level A&R roles at Warner Chappell Music and Sony Music Entertainment, and co-created the television series Rough Draft with Reza Aslan.

Variety welcomes responsible commentary — contact music@variety.com if interested in contributing.
 

The entertainment industry has long grappled with the unique pressures placed on performers related to wellbeing and mental health. And while Hollywood has gradually increased support for actors, the music industry’s support of talent lags dangerously behind.

Unlike film and television, where union regulations, on-set tutors, and mandated work hour limits provide some protection for minors, the music world operates with far fewer guardrails. In the music industry, minors and artists over the age of 18 find themselves navigating careers largely devoid of the resources that other entertainment sectors deem essential. This lack of scaffolding not only threatens artists’ wellbeing, performance, and ability to fulfill contractual obligations, it also threatens the investments companies make and opens them up to ethical, financial, and legal liability concer

The Unprotected Landscape: “Sink or Swim”
Increasingly intense pressures placed on artists in the current landscape are undeniable. As soon as they begin, artists can be thrust into grueling tour schedules, late-night and often unsupervised recording marathons, and intense promotional cycles with little regard for their developmental needs or wellbeing. Social media visibility demands constant engagement and vulnerability. Streaming platforms require continuous content creation. Tours have become longer and more demanding as they’ve become primary revenue sources. Meanwhile, the financial rewards have become increasingly uncertain, with most artists earning significantly less from recorded music than previous generations.

Artists and touring musicians are often subject to contractual obligations that prioritize output over wellbeing, with little infrastructure to support them through the inevitable pressures of fame, financial stress, and creative demands. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that creatives are more likely than the general population to experience increased vulnerabilities to mood disorders, anxiety, and depression. At the same time, abundant research shows that evidence-based intervention can significantly improve outcomes for people struggling with mental health challenges. This raises the question: why aren’t music labels and management companies already making this support mandatory for their clients?

By contrast, the TV and film industry has developed stronger protections for child performers, including required tutors, restricted working hours, protected trust accounts, and on-set welfare support focused on education, safety, and emotional wellbeing. Some productions have expanded these protections even further by incorporating mental health support directly into the production process. The film “Mother Mary,” starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, employed an on-set “mental health coordinator” to support performers during emotionally demanding scenes. Likewise, many reality television productions increasingly offer contestants and cast members access to on-demand counseling services and emotion regulation skills training. These developments reflect a growing recognition that performance pressures require intentional mental health safeguards.

The music industry has been slower to evolve. While there has been some movement in recent years to increase access to support — through initiatives such as the Recording Academy’s charity-focused partner organization MusiCares, new mental health and wellbeing partnerships at Universal and Warner Music Groups and Sony’s in-house program, Artists Forward — care has not been sufficiently incorporated into contracts. Artists are too often expected to navigate this landscape without adequate support. Many lack basic business and life skills for managing finances, understanding contracts, managing time and energy, or maintaining healthy relationships under the strain of career demands — all of which threaten their mental health and impact their ability to perform.

The support gap too often creates a “sink or swim” mentality, framing ordinary struggles as character flaws rather than predictable responses to extraordinary and preventable circumstances. Understandably, artists who lack proper support systems are more likely to make poor decisions, engage in self-destructive behaviors, or simply burn out.

The Business Case for Change
The music industry’s lack of meaningful mental health and wellbeing support is not just an ethical issue — it is a significant business, legal, and financial risk. When artists struggle with burnout, substance abuse, mental health challenges, or a lack of basic life and business skills, their ability to create, perform, tour, and sustain long-term careers becomes compromised. The result is diminished creative output, disrupted revenue streams, shortened careers, and substantial financial losses for everyone involved.
The industry is filled with cautionary tales of promising talent derailed by preventable crises. Yet this suffering — and the risk it creates for companies — is not inevitable. Research consistently shows that people with higher levels of wellbeing tend to perform more effectively, adapt better under pressure, and sustain success over time. Supporting artist wellbeing is therefore not separate from business success; it is directly tied to it.

In keeping with evolving standards across other high-performance industries, record labels and management companies have an opportunity to invest in proactive systems of support that strengthen both artist health and organizational outcomes. Providing access to resources that target predictable areas of vulnerability is not only compassionate, but practical, strategic, and financially sound.
From a purely commercial perspective, companies that fail to support artist wellbeing are ultimately undermining their own investments. An artist experiencing severe burnout, addiction, or psychological crisis may become unable to fulfill contractual obligations, tour effectively, or maintain the creative consistency that drives long-term profitability.

The legal implications are also becoming harder to ignore. As awareness of mental health and duty of care continues to grow, companies that knowingly expose artists to harmful conditions without adequate support may face increasing liability. The broader entertainment industry has already seen high-profile lawsuits tied to failures of care and unsafe working environments, and the music industry’s historically laissez-faire approach leaves labels and management companies increasingly vulnerable to similar challenges.

A Solution That Benefits Everyone
The music industry should consider filling this long-standing gap by contracting with professionals to design comprehensive, evidence-based programs customized to each artist based on their specific needs and vulnerabilities. Evidence-based, empirically validated assessment tools make it possible to identify risk factors, resilience levels, and functional impairment in two phases: 1) psychological assessment, feedback, and a personalized wellbeing plan, followed by 2) one-on-one mental health coaching, concierge-style support, and referrals to specialists as needed.

By ensuring artists receive the tools and support necessary to design vibrant, sustainable careers, they will naturally become more reliable, creative, and resilient performers. In turn, labels and management companies gain artists who are better equipped to handle pressure, less likely to engage in destructive behaviors, and more capable of maintaining long-term productivity. The reduced risk of mental health crises, legal issues, and career implosions represents significant cost savings compared to the potential losses from artist burnout or breakdown.

The Path Forward
The music industry stands at a crossroads. The broader entertainment industry’s gradual adoption of best practices proves that change is possible. It can’t continue operating under the outdated assumption that artist wellbeing is a luxury rather than a necessity. It can instead evolve by recognizing that its greatest assets aren’t just talented voices, catchy lyrics, and earworm melodies — they’re human beings who need and deserve support, protection, and the tools to thrive. In an industry where success often comes at tremendous personal cost, investing in artist wellbeing isn’t just ethical — it’s good business.