Why Music Industry Professionals Feel a Lack of Connection (Even in a Crowd!) and How to Cope

Working in the music industry can bring a deep sense of community: Long working hours and life on the road, in the studio, or even in the office can lead to strong bonds. At the same time, loneliness can strike even when you’re in good company.  If you’ve been feeling disconnected lately, even while surrounded by people you’re far from alone.  There are ways to reconnect and get support.

Mental Health and the Music Industry

According to a Music Minds Matter survey, 71% of music industry professionals report that they have panic attacks or high levels of anxiety, and 69% report symptoms of depression related to work. Yet only 30% report feeling likely to seek help. A study of over 1,100 touring musicians showed that touring professionals, including artists and crew, demonstrated elevated levels of suicidality, risk for clinical depression, stress, anxiety, and burnout. 

Results from the MusiCares 2025 Wellness in Music Survey show that over 11% of music industry professionals experienced suicidal ideation in the past year (an increase from 8% in 2024) and suicidal ideation was at 30% among respondents who experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault. 

No matter your role in music, the unique demands of the industry can intensify feelings of isolation.  

Listening to Loneliness 

Loneliness can be described as a feeling of distress or an unpleasant emotional response to perceived or actual social isolation. It’s when you feel alone — sometimes even in the company of others — and don’t want to be. It happens when there’s a gap between the social connections you have and what you need to feel fulfilled. 

You can feel lonely even when you’re with your band, crewmates, partner, friends, or family. It can be a subjective experience of disconnect — being with people but still feeling alone — that makes the feeling unbearable. 

Some signs of loneliness include: 

• You don’t feel deeply connected to the people around you
• You feel like no one understands you
• You feel like there’s no one you can turn to
• You feel left out
• You feel like you don’t belong
• Your relationships don’t feel authentic

If these feel familiar, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong; it means your connection needs aren’t being met, and that’s something you can work on. It’s also important to recognize that these feelings are common. Many people experience feelings of loneliness across the lifespan. 

There are nuances to loneliness: You may feel deeply connected in musical environments but isolated and alone in your life outside of music. You may even have a good social network but yearn for a romantic relationship. Remote work is another possible cause of  loneliness, you may feel connected to your colleagues during meetings but feel lonely once the call ends. No matter your reason, this is a common experience that many people can relate to.

Where Loneliness Comes From 

Loneliness is both multifactorial and subjective, and no two people experience it in the exact same way. Loneliness can arise working in the music industry for many reasons, including not having enough quality time with a partner or and feeling like you and other music industry professionals are no longer on the same page. 

Common sources of loneliness include:

• Physical isolation and distance, constant travel, long working hours, or erratic tour schedules
• Irregular hours that put you out of sync with your friends and family 
• The paradox of performing for crowds while feeling alone in the real world
• The emotional crash after the thrill of the performance ends 
• The pitfalls of social media — it’s necessary for engagement, but it can also feel negative and isolating 
• Drifting apart from people who were once closer to or more aligned with you
• Not having many social connections or feeling disconnected from people outside of the industry

We all have a fundamental need to feel seen and understood. When that need is not met, loneliness can occur. 

Tour Transition

Another cause of loneliness can be the adjustment period touring professionals experience after returning home. The transition from being surrounded by your colleagues to a quieter home life can be a shock to the system and can feel deeply lonely. Consider taking these steps to make that time easier:

• Create a daily routine to help you get back in the swing of things. 
• Follow a regular sleep hygiene routine to help your body reset from erratic sleep hours.
• Reconnect with hobbies you don’t get to enjoy on the road.
• Prioritize daily exercise and nutrition, including eating at regular intervals.
• Catch up with friends and family you miss while touring.
• Stay in touch with your tourmates. They are likely experiencing some of the same feelings.
• Get into the habit of a daily needs assessment as you readjust. Try using these statements, “I think, I feel, I need” to practice mindfulness around your adjustment needs. 
• Practice grounding exercises to counter feelings of stress. Grounding yourself in your senses by pairing slow breathing (inhale through your nose for 4, hold for 7, exhale through your mouth for 8) with stating one thing you can see, one thing you can hear, one thing you can smell, and one thing you can feel can reset your nervous system’s response to stress.

Your return home is also a big change for your support network. Give them space to adjust during the transition and be open with them about how you’re feeling and what you need. Tell them how they can support you as you navigate this new normal.

How to Navigate Loneliness

Addressing loneliness starts with understanding what you need and then taking deliberate steps to build connections. 

Reflect

Loneliness is unique to the individual: Some people want more closeness in the relationships they already have, while others crave a larger village. Ask yourself these questions to identify what you need: 

• Are there specific types of relationships I’m missing? 
• Do I want certain relationships to be closer or more authentic?
• Are there ways that I need to change, such as becoming more open to sharing my feelings or putting myself out there more often?

Use this insight to pursue the relationships you want. That may include going to shows and other social events to expand your connections, letting your friends know you’re open to meeting more people, or telling your partner you feel disconnected. Learn more about how to strengthen your current relationships here.

Practice Vulnerability 

Building authentic relationships takes time and practice. We build trust in one another as we share stories, show up with consistency, and listen with empathy. 

• Start small: Share a personal story that you’re comfortable talking about or mirror a story when someone else opens up to you to show mutual understanding.
• Challenge fears: Consider what scares you about practicing vulnerability and challenge that thought process by visualizing a positive conversation with someone you trust.
• Listen without judgement: Practice empathic listening when others trust you with their stories.

Talk While You Engage

Doing something together while you talk can reduce anxiety about opening up. Play cards, take a walk, or make a coffee run together to break the tension and increase feelings of comfort and emotional safety. 

Seek Support 

Loneliness sometimes has deeper roots: Unresolved childhood trauma or depression can create an all-consuming feeling of isolation despite your best efforts to fight it. If your loneliness won’t go away, don’t hesitate to reach out to a therapist or counselor. That relationship can help you begin reconnecting in a supportive space.

• MusiCares offers mental health resources and assistance to find an affordable therapist.
• Meeting with people who understand your unique struggles can also help. MusiCares offers weekly support groups on topics such as finding stability in uncertain times; the challenges faced by women, Black music professionals, and LGBTQ+ community members; and musicians experiencing substance use issues. Learn more and sign up here.

Why Addressing Loneliness Matters

Even when you’re taking the steps to reconnect, it helps to understand why loneliness hits so hard, and why it’s worth addressing. Loneliness is not just uncomfortable, but also bad for your health.

Depression 

Depression and loneliness can have a cyclical relationship. Prolonged isolation can bring your mood and energy down, while feeling low makes it more difficult to reach out for support. 

Research that examined the bidirectional relationship between loneliness and depression among young people showed that young people with depression experience loneliness as an insurmountable distance between themselves and others, and that nondisclosure about depression perpetuated loneliness. 

Stress

Research shows that feeling socially connected is associated with above-average rates of happiness, lower rates of anxiety and depression, and higher resilience against stress. Without social connection, stress can increase and mental health can suffer.

Substance Misuse 

Substance misuse — or a relationship with alcohol or drugs that’s become unhealthy or unsafe — is also associated with loneliness. You may reach for alcohol or drugs to ease the pain of isolation, and it’s harder to reach out for help and recover without close ties. 

Suicidal Ideation 

Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts due to intense feelings of disconnection. Relationships help people feel needed, understood, and grounded. When they’re lacking, you can feel increasingly untethered. 

If you’re struggling, you’re not alone: According to the MusiCares 2025 Wellness in Music Survey of nearly 3,200 music professionals, about 11% of respondents reported suicidal ideation in the past year — more than double the U.S. population. 

If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or chat online at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach out to MusiCares at 800-687-4227 for crisis support tailored to music industry professionals.

A Final Note

The music industry thrives on connections forged between artists and audiences, collaborators and crew, and creators and producers. But professional relationships don’t always translate into personal fulfillment. If loneliness is showing up for you, it’s a signal. By recognizing what you need and taking a few deliberate steps toward connection, you can build the kind of relationships  that support you  on and off the stage.