Berklee College of Music and Berklee Valencia Named to Billboard's 2026 List of Top Music Business Schools
Billboard included Berklee College of Music (pictured) and Berklee Valencia in its annual list of the world's top music business programs.
Image by Michelle Parkos
Billboard has recognized Berklee College of Music in Boston and Berklee Valencia as two of its top music business schools of 2026.
The publication highlighted the college’s longstanding Music Business/Management program, as well as the Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry Leadership and Innovation, a degree option for nonmusicians. For the sixth consecutive year, Billboard recognized the Berklee Popular Music Institute's BPMI Live program, which “offers a yearlong experience in which students scout, develop and tour with emerging artists at the industry’s largest music festivals.” The outlet noted that students in the program brought Berklee artists Jazz Cuti to Oberkampf in France and Leila Lamb to Southside in Germany and Pinkpop in the Netherlands.
“It’s a tremendous honor to see the Berklee Popular Music Institute in an outlet such as Billboard, which touches every part of our industry,” said Morgan Milardo, BPMI managing and artistic director. “Taking our students to perform at major festivals throughout the world is the ultimate hands-on learning experience—it teaches those enrolled in the class to be prepared for anything and everything. As an institute, we will continue working to create real-world opportunities that bridge education and the industry.”
Berklee Valencia also appeared on Billboard’s list for the sixth straight year, with recognition for its Master of Arts in Global Entertainment and Music Business program. The publication cited the program's hands-on approach and global perspective, including opportunities to explore music markets across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa through guest speakers and industry engagement. It also called attention to the Technology Practicum course, which examines emerging technologies such as AI alongside ethical, legal, cultural, and labor questions, and the annual Berklee Global Career Summit, which will take place in January 2027.
The unranked list includes 48 schools selected based on industry recommendations, alumni information, the publication’s reporting, and information provided by the schools.
