Music industry insider rocks content for new Commercial Music degree

Released: 26.09.17

Music industry insider, academic and author,  Jennifer Otter-Bickerdike will be drawing on her rock and roll experiences working with bands like Nirvana, U2 and Eminem while creating the content for Marjon’s new BA (Hons) Commercial Music degree course this autumn.

Originally from California, Jen spent her early career working with a variety of big name record companies before becoming the West Coast Marketing Director for Interscope Geffen A&M Records at the age of 25. She toured with and devised marketing and branding campaigns for major international acts including Pearl Jam, Gwen Stefani and Rage Against the Machine before leaving to start her own consulting company and working with creative industry innovators like Facebook, Dawbell PR and Adeline Records.   

As a media /music author and cultural historian, Jen specialises in fan culture, the cult of the dead celebrity and music heritage.  Her latest title is the #1 charting book ‘Why Vinyl Matters’ which includes interviews with Fatboy Slim and Tim Burgess of the Charlatans.     

Jen explains, “Now more than ever, it’s essential that anyone entering the music industry understands how all the different elements of the business like performance, production, branding marketing and sales work together. Success is about much more than simply the music.

“The course content has been designed to give students the comprehensive overview of the industry which they will need for whatever role they choose, as well as giving them a chance to develop their own specialist skills and areas of interest.

“Access to real industry insight and know-how within the course will help in providing students with a framework and direction for creative energy and talent across all aspects of music.”

Jen currently lectures in Music Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM) in London.  In 2013 she was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Student Led Teaching Award for Most Innovative Lecturer.  She is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 and Channel 4 and recently appeared at Bestival and Liverpool Sound. She has a PhD in cultural studies from Goldsmiths University, London.

Find out more details about the BA (Hons) Commercial Music degree here.