Universal Music Group 2026 Summer Internship Program: Brand & Label Opportunitie
Universal Music Group, Santa Monica
Universal Music Group 2026 Summer Internship Program: Brand & Label Opportunities: Creative - Santa Monica, 90404, United States of America
Program Eligibility:
Currently enrolled at an accredited two or four-year college/university in the United States, purs u ing an undergraduate, graduate and/or law degree
Graduating between Spring 20 26 - Fall 202 8
Have access to housing and transportation within the designated city (We do not offer housing or transportation accommodations)
Legally authorized to work in the United States and will not require sponsorship for employment visa status, now or in the future (e.g., H1-B, OPT, etc.)
Commit to 20 - 40 hours per week (based on individual business area)
Note: There are multiple job descriptions listed below. Please read carefully. Applications will be reviewed early Spring 202 6 .
2026 Summer Internship Program Dates: June 8 - August 14 , 2026
A&R ( Onsite: CA, FL, NY, TN ):
How You’ll CREATE:
Scout and identify potential new talent through various sources (social media, industry networks, playlists, blogs . etc. )
A&R research, data review and analysis
Provide ad ministrative support : organiz ing and schedul ing meetings, listening sessions, studio sessions, artist showcases , sharing show calendars, travel coordination , Grammy submissions work
Conduct research on industry trends, emerging artists and market data
Collaborate with other departments, such as marketing, publicit y and creative services to coordinate artist releases and promotional activities
Attend A&R meetings : take notes and follow up on action items
Assist in the organization and maintenance of artist files, contracts and other important documents
Prepare artist one-sheets and brief artist presentations
Attend shows/concerts as needed
Assist with lyric transcription for song deliveries
Listen and review beat packs , song pitches and demos
Identify trends in fan markets
Stay ahead of industry trends by exploring innovative genres, artists, and visual/audio technologies
Review daily research reports
Pitch creative ideas for artists on roster
Ideal candidates will have:
Have a strong interest in music research
Experience looking for unsigned acts and identifying rising artists
Skilled in social media platforms and DSPs
Knowledge of the current music landscape and market
Basic understanding of music data/analytics
For UMLE A&R roles: Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish
Pop/Rock A&R ( Onsite: CA ):
A&R interns are expected to help with daily tasks, A&R research, artist outreach and scouting.
Ideal candidates will have:
Passion for pursuing a career in A&R
Love for research and data management
Urban A&R ( Onsite: CA ):
This role offers hands-on experie nce in the creativ e and administrative processes behind A&R development. Interns will gain valuable exposure to the music industry by contributing to active artist projects, assisting with day-to-day A&R operations and supporting the overall A&R staff.
Shadow A&R staff on real projects to understand the process of developing artists and building records
Contribute to the preparation of materials for internal creative meetings and artist presentations
Gain an understanding of how A&R intersects with other label functions including marketing, digital strategy and production
Participate in cross-functional projects that contribute to the success of upcoming releases.
Ideal candidates will have:
Strong passion for music and interest in artist development, particularly in the Urban / Hip-Hop / R&B space
Familiarity with music databases (DISCO, Genius, etc.) is a plus
A&R Catalog (Onsite: CA):
How You’ll CREATE:
A&R is a d epartment that oversees t he creat ive legacies of UMG's classic artists, from Frank Sinatra to Bob Marley, the Allman Brothers to Halsey, James Brown to Nirvana, and on and on. Th is role allows us to interact with every department at UMe , including Marketing, Commerce, Finance, Publicity, Production, Licensing, et al.
A&R responsibilities include curating releases, creating new IP from remixes to new content , collaborating with other departments on cultural activations, consulting on documentaries, leading creative ideas with AI initiatives and more.
Intern s are encouraged to participate in project creation and development for catalog artists, including vinyl reissues, digital releases, new video content, and new remixes from vintage material , artist catalog research , generating package copy and providing a new perceptive on how UMe A&R approaches legacy materials.
Ideal candidates will have:
Working knowledge of Adobe Express
Basic audio production skills in Pro Tools or even Audacity a plus but not required
A&R Admin (Onsite: CA )
How You’ll CREATE:
A&R Ad ministration turns creative vision into commercial reality. It’s where the artistic meets the administrative — ensuring every recording, mix, feature and sample moves through proper channels and lands fully cleared, budgeted and delivered for release. In essence: A&R finds the music. A& R Administration makes sure it exists legally, financially, and operationally.
Responsibilities include:
Shadow A&R Administrators to learn end-to-end project delivery — from signing through release
Gain insight into label operations, observing how creative, financial and legal elements intersect in music production
Attend listening sessions or production meetings (as appropriate) to understand the creative-to-commerc ial handoff
Ideal candidates will have:
Love of all genres of music
A&R & Post-Production ( Onsite: TN )
How You’ll CREATE:
Scout and evaluate emerging artists across platforms (TikTok, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Instagram, etc.)
Attend live shows, worship events and showcase s ; provide written assessments
Maintain artist tracking documents and deliver weekly talent scouting updates
Participate in A&R meetings and contribute creative input for potential signings
Liaise with artists and managers in early-stage conversations
Monitor and share industry trends across worship, CCM, gospel, CHH, and hybrid inspirational genres
Studio opening/closing tasks
Assist with set up and tear down for sessions
Assist with deliverable QC
Ideal candidates will have:
Active knowledge of the Christian music landscape across worship, CCM, gospel, hip hop, etc.
Familiarity with major music and social platforms / tools (Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Instagram, Chartmetric )
Ability to organize and track data clearly and communicate findings concisely
Passion for live music and ability to attend local showcases and events
Strong understanding of professional audio, including signal flow, gain staging and audio processing.
Experience working in live audio and/or studio environment .
Working knowledge of Pro Tools, any experience with other DAWs a plus
A&R Research & Business Development (Onsite: CA )
How You’ll CREATE:
The Business Development and A&R team runs all things new business . We scout new and established artists and independent labels who might be a fit for the Virgin roster. We work with our existing label partners to help them sign the next big thing .
Scout ing new artists and independent labels who might be a fit for the Virgin roster
Ideal candidates will have:
Strong working knowledge of the music business, industry trends, and emerging artists/genres
Well versed in A&R research , inclu ding knowledge of industry standard research tools ( Chartmetric , Luminate, etc.)
Data literacy (SQL or python is a plus)
Eager to help wherever possible
Audience Growth (Onsite: CA )
How You’ll CREATE:
Audience Growth is the intersection of creativity, strategy and data, focused on connecting artists and fans in meaningful, lasting ways. The team develops and executes digital strategies that amplify an artist’s reach, deepen fan engagement, and drive discovery across platforms. Audience Growth blends social media storytelling, campaign strategy and analytics to shape how music lives online, and converts sales, from launch moments to legacy catalog campaigns.
Social Media Strategy: Assist in craftin g pl atform-specific narratives, engagement plans and campaign ideas.
Digital Campaigns: Contribute to brainstorming and execution of creative initiatives across streaming, social and creator channels.
Content Id eation: Generate concepts for track moments, releases and fan-driven storytelling.
Catalog & Resurgent Marketing: Support campaigns that revive legacy releases with fresh, modern digital strategies.
Analytics & Insights: Help track social and creator performance and prepare reports to inform future campaigns.
CRM & Fan Engagement: Assist with building and brainstorming strategies for fan databases and direct engagement initiatives.
Team Collaboration: Aid with organization and communication across marketing, creative and digital teams.
Ideal candidates will have:
B asic digital insights knowledge
Awareness of social platform features
Creative strategy thinker
Audience Growth/Digital (Onsite: FL)
How You’ll CREATE:
Th is d epartment aids the marketing d epartments in sourcing influencer campaigns , as well as overseeing all digital activities and looks to aid all releases in the digital space
O verseeing digital campaigns
Drafting conte nt ideas a nd influencer strategies that align with the artist s
Ideal candidates will have:
Experience with Canv a, Mel twater, Chartmetric , Tik To k , Meta & o ther analysis tools
Audience (Onsite: NY )
How You’ll CREATE:
Th is department is responsible for finding creative and data driven strategies to increase radio spins for specific records across the United States.
C ompleting and creating data driven reports for the Audience team daily.
Assisting with booking travel for ra dio perso nnel a nd radio contest winners will also be an integral part of the role.
Radio report tracking, cross-referencing our database platforms
Mapping out the growth of records to play across the radio
Brainstorming and executing promotional plans for developing artists
A final presentation reflecting the knowledge the interns have retained over the summer will also be part of our interns’ agenda.
Ideal candidates will have:
P assion for a career in the music industry
Experience with Canva or similar websites is a plus
Google doc and sheets
Brand Partnerships (Onsite: CA )
How You’ll CREATE:
This team f ocuses on building and managing collaborations between artists and brands to create impactful, culture-driven campaigns that are mutually beneficial to both the brand and the artist. Interns will gain hands-on experience in creating impactful partnerships that are moving the needle in culture.
R esearch potential new brand partners
Support active campaigns and developing artist pitch materials
Help create and update decks and one-sheets
Track industry trends and competitive brand activations
Ideal candidates will have:
Experience making visual assets in Canva , Adobe , PowerPoint or similar programs
Strong research and analytical skills
Familiarity with social media platforms and marketing trends
Commercial Partnerships & Think (Onsite: TN )
How You’ll CREATE:
Streaming & playlist reporting
Gathering information for Hit List
Playlist creation and u pdates
Streaming account marketing (Spotify Artist Pick, Pandora AMP)
Assist team with miscellaneous needs / asset gathering
Assist in developing and scheduling social media content across Instagram and TikTok
Organize creative assets for easy team assets
Research and compile data on audience growth, enga gement and reach to identify what ’s working
Manage fan accounts for key Re:Think artists
Ideal candidates will have:
Music industry knowledge
Up to date on trends and Gen-Z market
Basic understanding of all streaming platforms
Working Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite
Social Media & Content Creation Skills
Content Creation (Onsite: CA)
How You’ll CREATE:
Core functions involve supporting the Creative Strategy & Content team’s efforts in the development and management of artist brand strategy campaigns.
Support Creative Strategy & Content team administratively.
Onboard new freelancers and agencies to UMG vendor registration system.
Manage purchase orders and codes invoices in Uniport.
Maintain and organize database of creative resources.
Create and proofread concept pitching and recap presentations.
Assist in organization and updates to tools like Monday.com, Box and other platforms.
Coordinate video production efforts, including communicating with finance and legal, scheduling shoots, liaising with videographers and editors, and sharing links to approved creative assets.
Produce basic social media assets using internal resources, including social media cover images, static social media graphics and ads, and simple music video cutdown edits.
Review creative assets, music video s and newly upscaled videos.
Develop database of creative resources by researching, contacting, and onboarding 3rd party creative vendors.
Research and share examples of key trends in design, video and creators to inform and inspire our team's work.
Support Content Team with research and identification of innovative companies to partner with in support of the music catalog.
Ideal candidates will have:
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects and Microsoft Office programs
Passion for music, design, visual arts and fashion.
Interest in digital trends and marketing technology.
Creative (Onsite: CA , NY, TN )
How You’ll CREATE:
The cr ea tive team works across the majority of our label's roster handling creative direction, art direction, graphic design, packaging, photography, photoshoot production, editing, animation, motion graphics, etc.
Assist in the creation of artwork and visual assets: single/album cover concepts, promotional graphics, social media posts, motion graphics, lyric videos and teasers.
Help organize and maintai n the dep artment’s asset library: photoshoots, video footage, design files, brand logos, fonts, style guides - ensuring everything is label e d, stored correctly, backed-up and easily retrievable.
Assist with shoots and production logistics : prepping photos or video shoots, helping wrap packages, liaising with stylists/photographers, managing schedules, assisting on-site as needed.
Basic prod u ction/admin istrative su pport: preparing decks/presentations, assisting with file formatting, retouching images, maintaining vendor lists, tracking project statuses, updating templates, helping with quality assurance (checking specs, file formats).
Support social media and digital content efforts: researching trending formats (TikTok, IG reels, etc.), helping to repurpose assets for social, creating short- form content, possibly editing or animation of motion assets.
Assist the team in brainstorming and ideation: participate in creative meetings, offer ideas for campaigns, help develop mock-ups, assist designers/art-directors in concept development.
Research of visual trends, competitive work, emerging aesthetics: keeping an eye on visual culture, music video art direction, social formats, packaging innovation, and presenting findings to the team.
Create moodboards , graphics and other assets needed for artist projects
Help support the production of music videos , photoshoot s and art productions
Ideal candidates will have:
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere, InDesign, Illustrator )
Working knowledge of any preferred video editing software
Graphic design experience (Video animation is a plus)
Fluent in social media creative (ideation, editing, etc.)
Passion for the music video, photo and creative space in the music industry
Creative Publishing & Worship Together (Onsite: TN )
How You’ll CREATE:
Event and writing camp planning
Management of writers calendars
Song delivery and playlisting
Graphic Design + Visual Content
Design digital assets for social media, web, and email (Instagram posts, reels covers , thumbnails, YouTube headers, etc.)
Assist in creating series or campaign visuals (conference branding, song promos, etc.)
Use Photoshop, Illustrator, and Canva to design layouts, mockups, and marketing materials.
Support merchandise design and visual concepts for apparel, giveaways, and conference resources.
Presentation & Deck Building
Build and format Keynote presentations for internal team use, artist meetings, conferences, and label updates.
Source and organize imagery, content flow, and visuals that align with Worship Together brand voice.
Collaborate on brainstorming and concepting decks for new projects, artist rollouts, or creative campaigns.
Video & Motion Graphics Support
Assist with simple motion graphics or title treatments using After Effects or Canva motion tools
Support video shoot planning with mood boards, location research, and previsualization materials.
Help prepare assets and coordinate file organization for post-production editing.
Creative Development & Research
Participate in brainstorm sessions for new content formats (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok).
Research industry trends, creative campaigns from other worship and mainstream brands, and emerging design styles.
Help create mood boards and visual references for branding, events, or artist partnerships.
Admin istrative & Asset Management
Help manage and organize creative project files in Google Drive, Adobe Creative Cloud, or other team platforms.
Tag and archive past shoots and design assets for easy team access.
Support in setting up file delivery to external collaborators, designers, or artists.
Ideal candidates will have:
Adaptability in c reative p rocess: Comfortable adjusting concepts and direction based on feedback, understanding that creativity is an evolving journey.
Strong v isual and w ritten c ommunication: Ability to express ideas clearly and creatively through visuals, copy, and presentations that resonate with our audience.
Creative Strategy ( Onsite: NY )
How You’ll CREATE:
Support creative strategy development through research, insights and trend analysis across digital platforms.
Contribute ideas and assist in brainstorming sessions for campaigns, social con tent and brand initiatives—especially for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Help build creative decks, briefs and presentations that integrate digital storytelling and platform best practices.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and optimize content strategies that drive engagement and visibility across emerging digital channels.
Ideal candidates will have:
Proficiency with creative and design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro) or Canva.
Strong command of social media platforms and analytics tools — including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X (Twitter), and Meta Business Suite.
Experience with presentation and collaboration tools like Google Workspace, Keynote, and PowerPoint.
Digital (CA, NY, TN )
How You’ll CREATE:
Content Creation & Execution: Video & Photo Editing: Directly responsible for editing photos and videos into engaging platform-optimized assets (especially short-form content for Reels/TikTok)
Asset Creation: Developing various digital content and assets needed for social posts, stories and campaign rollouts.
Assist in building and strategizing social media calendars to support artist releases, campaigns and ongoing content.
Edit and adapt social content for various platforms (Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, YouTube, etc.), ensuring each piece aligns with platform best practices and the artist’s brand identity.
Research and compile current digital trends, proposing creative and cohesive social media ideas tailored to each artist’s tone and audience.
Participate in creative brainstorm sessions with the Digital team and cross-departmental partners (Publicity, A&R, Streaming, etc.) to generate campaign concepts and content ideas.
Identify influencers, tastemakers and di gital partn ers for potential collaborations or promotional opportunities.
Support day-to-day campaign management, including tracking performance metrics, organizing assets and maintaining artist content libraries.
Keep up to date on all upcoming releases, campaigns and content
Coordinate posting for all label social media channels and interact daily on socials to drive increased fan engagement, activity and follower growth
Fan Page Management: Assist ing with the day-to-day over sight an d execution across various fan pages, ensuring consistent voice, engagement and accurate information sharing
Create YouTube Descriptions weekly for all artist releases/Manage YouTube Shorts post syndication for label artists with supervisor approval
Manage LinkFire updates and optimizations for label socials and artist release weekly
Research, identify and report viral social and digital trends to equip label and artist teams with content ideas that drive engagement, brand awareness, fan acquisition and music consumption
Organizing critica l team documents, content calendars, asset libraries and campaign tracking files to maintain efficiency and easy access for all members.
Ideal candidates will have:
Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Canva
Exceptional video editing and graphic design skills
Experience with social media management and short form content creation
Proficient with social media platforms (i.e. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, X, etc.)
Comfortable using social insights and analytics tools (such as Sprout Social or Chartmetric) to understand audience engagement and campaign performance
Passion for music, digital storytelling, and artist development, with a proactive, curious approach to learning and staying ahead of trends
Digital Innovation (Onsite: NY )
How You’ll CREATE:
Digital Innovation comprises of gaming, AI, innovation, media planning, digital marketing and mor e!
Brainstorm creative marketing/social/content ideas for breaking artist campaigns
Creative output a plus, if decks/slides can be executed, face/AR lens build & testing, cover art generators, and other digital development toolkits
Asset management and delivery on a weekly basis to necessary parties
Assist in LinkFire creation
Calendar management
Bulk buy advertising and media plan submissions and organization
Creative/Audience analysis
Auditing TikTok accounts spend tracking
Audience export, pixel, and backend D2C requests
Ideal candidates will have:
Experience and familiarity in the gaming/sports space
Experience with programs like Adobe Creative Cloud Suite
Graphic design and creative skills are a plus
Familiarity with social platforms and media planning (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Discord)
Distribution (Onsite: CA)
How You’ll CREATE:
Roster Fan page posting + management
Digital Marketing research + creator outreach (researching trends, creators, pages etc.)
Update internal roster sheet as new artists are signed
Provide weekly roster streaming updates for recent releases
Pull data from Luminate
Compile retail links for upcoming releases
Assist in drafting ingestion and asset collection emails
Expense Reports
Ideal candidates will have :
Short Form video editing experience (i.e.: CapCut)
Strong awareness of social landscape and current trends
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop and experience in video editing is a plus
Interest in developing artists is a plus
Fan Strategy (Onsite: CA)
How You’ll CREATE:
Th is department focus es on audience building and optimization across digital platforms (social media, gaming, web), short form video marketing and CRM. This intern will be assigned tasks in the area of social media / short form video content creation, email/SMS marketing and digital research/analysis.
Ideal candidates will have:
Social media content creation and community management experience.
Working knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, etc. )
Interest in the video game industry and artist brand partnerships.
Global Communication and Brand Strategy (Onsite: CA)
How You’ll Create:
This team l ead s global communications across the company, including internal and external messaging, media relations, corporate marketing, sponsorships, advertising, social media and brand alignment — ensuring our story is consistent, compelling, and connected across markets.
Project research and ideation
Social support and ideation
Internal and external communications messaging support
Event support
Ideal candidates will have:
A genuine interest in the Communications field
Global mindset, with the ability to work across multiple time zones and navigate cultural sensitivities.
Familiarity with MuckRack , Cision, Airtable , WordPress, and traditional and social media platforms is a plus.
Global Marketing (Onsite: CA, NY)
How You’ll CREATE :
Assist in the development of global social and creator campaigns that drive discovery and engage ment a cross platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
Research viral trends, emerging creators and audience behaviors across key territories to inform global rollout strategies.
Support the creation of localized content toolkits and short-form creative assets that amplify artist storytelling and fan participation.
Track campaign performance and surfacing insights that help refine global audience growth and retention strategies.
Collaborate with regional teams and creative partners to bring culturally relevant and platform-first ideas to life.
Help to manage creative assets: ensuring proper organization, tracking and archiving
Assist in the preparation of brand decks, campaign recaps and presentations
Playlist reporting/Chart reporting
Regular meeting prep, coordination and notes
Ideal candidates will have:
Basic graphic design or video editing ability, using tools such as Canva, Adobe Express, Photoshop, Premiere Pro or similar
Deep understanding of digital and social platforms (TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X, etc.) and emerging viral trends
Data-savvy mindset — comfortable analyzing audience insights, engagement metrics and campaign performance
International Marketing (Onsite: CA)
How You’ll CREATE :
The Intern ational Marketing team is responsible for contextualizing domestic marketing plans for intern ational markets to ensure that campaigns are locally relevant and impactful. We work in tandem with internal label teams, artist management and local UMG affiliates to amplify new music releases through coordinating international fan activations, press and promotional opportunities, creative tour marketing, DSP/partner campaigns, physical product releases and digital creator & CRM campaigns.
Create organizational tools to support the team
Organize and update folders & documents with assets and key release information
Support in completing international release reports
Support in the creation of internal & external international marketing newsletters
Pull international playlisting, consumption, and revenue data
Assist with consolidating release reports from the markets and help prepare coverage reports
Maintain and update international contact lists
Maintain and update international cultural events calendar
Shipping coordination
Track international media coverage
Create and design marketing presentation decks
Conduct preliminary research on emerging digital trends and international fan engagement to support upcoming campaigns
Track social trends by market/country
I deal candidates will have:
Experience working with Monday.com
Experience using Mailchimp or other email marketing platforms is a plus
Time spent abroad is advantageous .
Marketing (Onsite: CA , FL, NY, TN )
How You’ll CREATE :
Assist with the coordination of marketing plans for upcoming releases, including timelines, assets and promotional rollou ts
Conduct market research and analysis on trends, audiences and competitive artists to inform campaign strategies
Help develop and organize marketing materials such as social media assets, visuals, promotional assets and press materials
Support artist events, listening sessions, photoshoots and promotional activations as needed
Participate in team meetings and brainstorming sessions for upcoming releases and marketing activations
Monitor so cial media platforms, tracking eng agement and compiling performance reports
Update internal trackers and databases to monitor campaign timelines and deliverables
Create a marketing cheat sheet/project management tool to better inform, prepare, and automate a checklist on the standard deliverable elements across all projects
Collate deliverables into an adaptable checklist with assignments and a ccompanying deadlines and deliverables. Using marketing automation tools to develop content
Conduct high level audits on marketing plans to identify universal needs across all marketing plans
Communicate key insights to internal teams on campaigns Deck creation, copywriting, editing
Website updates
Compile release recaps
I deal candidates will have:
Basic graphic design (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite)
Music marketing and streaming analytics (Spotify for Artists, Chartmetric)
Event planning and coordination
Interest in audience development with an emphasis on marketing and data analysis
Familiarity with Project Management and available tools
Data-driven individual with the ability to organize, plan and execute
A love for analytical tools, research, and a knack for distilling data into actionable items
Motown-Digital ( Onsite: CA )
How You’ll CREATE :
Interns will gain a holistic understanding of how Motown bridges music, culture, and digital engagement.
Research fan communities, emerging platform s