The MusiCares 2026 Wellness in Music Survey finds that music professionals face elevated rates of suicidal ideation, limited access to health insurance and financial strain early in their careers.
Mental health and support
Suicidal ideation among music professionals remains two to three times as prevalent as in the general U.S. population. The finding follows a reported rate of 11.4% in 2025.
MusiCares has expanded its Tune Into Mental Health initiative with The Jed Foundation (JED) to provide suicide prevention resources for the music community. MusiCares also offers eligible professionals financial assistance, preventive care and customized recovery plans.
Its intake team can be reached at 1-800-687-4227 or [email protected], with eligibility and resource information at musicares.org. Services are confidential, comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and offer multilingual support. MusiCares is not a crisis hotline; immediate emergencies should be directed to 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Insurance and early-career income
The survey puts the uninsured rate among music professionals at 15% to 16%, compared with roughly 7% across the U.S. population. Minority creators are disproportionately affected. Only 30% of music professionals receive health insurance through an employer, while more than 60% of those without coverage cite affordability as the main reason.
Among emerging professionals surveyed, 79% cannot cover basic expenses with income from music. Nearly 70% earn less than $25,000 a year.
