An MC raises a fist while rapping into a microphone during an onstage performance at a hip hop concert.

How Hip Hop Culture Became a Global Force in Black Creative Expression

Take an in-depth look at the rise of Hip Hop Culture—from Bronx block parties to global stages—as a powerful expression of Afro-Diasporic identity, resilience, and artistry in this lesson excerpt from Black Creative Expression.

A photo of Mark Ethier, Executive Director of Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab ( also known as BEATL), where he is wearing a pink shirt and a gray sports coat.

Mark Ethier on BEATL, iZotope, and SPIN win

Before AI was controversial, Mark Ethier was building it into the tools that producers grew to love. The iZotope cofounder and SPIN Most Influential honoree now leads Berklee’s Emerging Artistic Technology Lab. In this Q&A he reflects on innovation, student skepticism, and why musicians don’t have to embrace AI, but they do need to understand it.

Kristen Long wears a bright purple shirt and stands in front of green trees.

Kristen Long on Building the Skills (and Studio) She Needed to Produce Music

When Kristen Long wanted to develop her animated children’s music series, she realized she needed more than songwriting skills—she needed production mastery. The Royal Caribbean music director returned to Berklee (via Berklee Online) to build her own studio, earn her master’s degree, and expand her creative range without stepping away from work.

A graphic displays the types of merch that musicians might use to promote their brand.

How to Create Music Merch to Grow Your Brand

Your merch table could be doing a lot more. In this excerpt from Music Marketing 101, discover how smart artists use audience insights, pricing strategy, and creative product ideas—from apparel to limited editions—to turn branded items into brand momentum.

Cindy Shea of Mariachi Divas wears a black jacket, a flower in her hair, and blows on her trumpet.

Cindy Shea: Grammy-Winning Mariachi Breaks Barriers and Redefines Music Education

By Ale Gil

Cindy Shea didn’t just win Grammys with the Mariachi Divas—she built a label, launched a music academy, and survived a life-threatening stroke before enrolling at Berklee Online to sharpen the skills behind her success.

A photo collage represents the different types of things you will need to know about in the music industry: deal, money, artificial intelligence, etc.

Music Industry Advice for Artists

These videos from Berklee Online’s Artist Management course offer a wide-ranging look at today’s music industry, covering everything from finding the right manager and lawyer to understanding sync licensing and AI’s impact. Featuring insights from industry professionals, they highlight the key decisions artists face when building sustainable, successful careers.

Vivian Aguiar-Buff sits cross-legged and looks directly at the camera in this portrait set against a gray background.

Vivian Aguiar-Buff on Hans Zimmer, DreamWorks, and Her Emmy Win

What do Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, and Gabby’s Dollhouse have in common? Emmy-winning music supervisor Vivian Aguiar-Buff helped shape their sound. In this deep-dive interview, the Music Supervision and Film Scoring instructor reflects on her path from law school dropout to Remote Control Productions, the secrets behind music supervision, and why being part of a creative team means leaving your ego at the door.

Josh Misko headshot

Event Ticketing Is Broken. Berklee Online Alum Josh Misko Wants to Fix It.

Think concert ticketing is broken? So does Berklee Online alum Josh Misko. In 2025 he co-founded Seatfun, a live event platform challenging everything that’s wrong with ticketing. And he did this all while earning his master’s degree in Music Production. The company recently closed a multi-million-dollar funding round and launched a new, invite-only app.

Attendees of a nondescript sporting event sing a nondescript national anthem for a nondescript country in this stock image.

Best National Anthems—According to Berklee Online Faculty

Berklee Online instructors weigh in on which country takes the gold for best national anthem, which is important to know as you watch the Olympic Games medal ceremonies in February.

A person wearing a denim shirt sits at a computer, presumably typing out an application for a grant.

Grant Writing: How to Turn Ideas into Funded Projects

By Roya Hu

Grants can empower educators, artists, and entrepreneurs to bring bold ideas to life. From proposals to partnerships, discover strategies for turning vision into funded projects. Gain practical insights into the process—and confidence in your approach—in this excerpt from Roya Hu’s Grant Writing: Funding Your Creative and Teaching Projects course.