Department of Recording Industry
Your Music Career Begins Here
Welcome to the Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University, where students from around the world turn their music production, business, and songwriting ideas into reality. Our educational environment is one of creativity, innovation and collaboration. Students are nurtured and challenged by internationally recognized faculty from all musical genres.
Which academic program is right for you?
The Department of Recording Industry, in collaboration with the Jones College of Business, offers a Music Business concentration within the M.B.A. program, and an Entertainment Law concentration within the Master of Legal Studies program, offered in partnership with the Nashville School of Law (launching Summer 2026).
What others have to say about us:
- Forbes Magazine ranks MTSU as one of the top 50 schools in the nation for being a “Best Buy” in higher education.
- The Rolling Stone College Guide states, “Middle Tennessee State University – located in the surprisingly hip Murfreesboro, Tennessee – boasts one of the preeminent music business programs in the country.”
- MIX Magazine repeatly nominates our audio production program for their “Technical Excellence and Creativity Award.”
- NBC Nightly News encourages all to “visit a school that has become a Hit Factory for the Grammy Awards.”
MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry
One of the largest programs of its kind:
World-class facilities, industry leading faculty, renown internship programs, one of the largest programs of its kind that is unrivaled within the recording industry profession resides at MTSU. We offer a Bachelor of Science degrees in audio production, music business and commercial songwriting. Founded in 1973, the department blazed the trail in music business and audio production curriculum, consistently ranking on Billboard’s and Hollywood Reporter’s list of top programs globally.
State of the Art Facilities
Lucky Thirteen:
Thirteen high-end facilities reside within our department and range in functionality from recording, mixing, editing, foley, live sound, and virtual reality. We offer industry standard commercial consoles that are large capacity to specialized microphones for capturing unique recordings. Our facilities include five sound studios, a post studio for sound for film, separated mix and mastering studios, and an EM lab for electronic music creation/editing that includes Ableton Live, Reason, Pro Tools and Logic Pro with massive sound libraries for student exploration. The digi lab serves as dedicated Pro Tools lab for entry-level students. The immersive learning studio allows student to submerge themselves into a virtual reality and explore new ways to experience sound and picture.
Students Receive First-Hand Experience
GRAMMY’s and beyond:
Gain behind-the-scenes access to the music industry while earning your degree at MTSU. Students have the chance to work and volunteer in Los Angeles during the GRAMMY Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and other high-profile events like Bonnaroo. Earn class credit while assisting professional sound engineers, supporting televised productions, and even escorting artists down the red carpet. Real shows. Real experience. Real career prep.
College of Media and Entertainment
The only Recording Industry program in the world that resides within a college of media:
The College of Media and Entertainment (CME) houses video and film production, digital animation, journalism, photography, and other creative communication areas. All Recording Industry students have the opportunity to collaborate with other creative CME scholars through innovative course studies.
Students have worked with:
- Bruce Springsteen
- Celine Dion
- Cher
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Jon Pardi
- Josh Groban
- Josh Mayer
- Kane Brown
- Keith Urban
- Kenny Chesney
- Little Big Town
- Michael Buble
- Michael Jackson
Students that studied at MTSU:
- Anderson East (R&B artist)
- Brandon Heath (Christian artist)
- Brett Eldredge (Country artist)
- Chris Young (Country artist)
- Daisha McBride (Rap artist/Songwriter)
- Eric Paslay (Country artist)
- Erin Enderlin (Country artist/Songwriter)
- Evanescence’s Amy Lee (Rock artist)
- Josh Kear (Grammy-winning songwriter)
- Lady A’s Hillary Scott (Country artist)
- Lecrae (Rap artist)
- Luke Laird (Grammy-winning songwriter)
- Mitchell Tenpenny (Country artist)
- PJ (R&B artist/Songwriter)
- Sam Hunt (Country artist)
Alumni songs written for:
- Alan Jackson
- BTS
- Carrie Underwood
- Charlie Puth
- Chris Brown
- Drake
- Eric Church
- George Strait
- Gucci Maine
- Kacey Musgraves
- Lady Gaga
- Lee Ann Womack
- Luke Bryan
- Randy Travis
- Reba McEntire
- Thomas Rhett
- Travis Scott
- Usher
- Wiz Khalifa
Schedule a tour at 615-898-2578 or Apply Now
Follow Us!
Department office:
Recording Industry Department Coordinator: Kelly Grago, 615-898-2578, Kelly.Grago@mtsu.edu
To schedule a department tour:
The Recording Industry Department offers faculty-led tours every Friday at 1:00 p.m. during the Fall and Spring terms. During the summer, tours are scheduled by appointment. To schedule a tour of the Recording Industry Department, please contact rim-info@mtsu.edu.