Almost five years post-pandemic, music-related activity continues to grow, though ongoing shifts in the labor market see a lower volume of employment producing a greater level of overall activity. Specifically, the number of overall jobs directly associated with music in Texas has stagnated, albeit with the jobs that remain paying higher wages.  

For the first time, the impact of music on travel and tourism is included in the analysis, further completing the picture of the role that music plays in Texas’ economy.  

The return on investment associated with economic development is normally a longer-term payback, as external events tend to drive the fortunes of a regional economy in the near term. However, the outlook for Texas remains bright, as the strong influx of both firms and people in the wake of the pandemic remains a positive force.  Much of Texas’ future will depend on what has brought so many here in the recent past: a highly capable workforce, innovation and entrepreneurship, clusters in knowledge industries, the presence of world class research universities and other institutions of higher learning, and public policy that supports growth and development. Embedded in the above is the interrelationship between creativity, innovation, and quality of life that forms a substantial piece of the foundation of a modern economy.  Music is an integral part of this equation; this brief analysis updates the impact of music on the state’s economy completed four times previously, using the same methodology and sources of data, as well as discussing broad areas of additional influence on the Texas economy.

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